She the slave, he the master
by SilverCyanide5689
Summary: Redo of my last slave/master story
1. Chapter 1

A/N: I am going to give a slave/master story a shot, while I think of ideas for my Once Upon A Time story. Please review and all that jazz.

He laid on top of her, caressing her breasts with his tongue. She smiled at him, knowing it was only temporary. She hated having sex with him, but without giving him sex, she would have to pay rent, she had no money. Some people called her prostitute, but in fact she was not, prostitutes get paid, she was having sex as a way to avoid paying.

"You're beautiful." He said not looking up from her breasts.

She did not speak, for last time she spoke, he locked her in the cellar.

Soon, he laid down next to her, keeping one hand on her breast.

"We're gonna do it again. Let me catch my breath." He said breathing heavily.

"I'm your's." She whispered.

"I wanna do it somewhere else." He said.

"Where, sir?"

He thought for a moment. "Shower, now."

She got up off the bed, and began to walk towards the bathroom, trying to hide the tears.

"Wait, bed over." He said.

She did as she was told, he took a paddle from the wall nearby, and began to swing at her backside.

"What did I do wrong, sir?" She asked when he was done?"

"Nothing, I was bored, and I haven't hit you lately." He said smiling, smacking her backside with his hand. "Get your ass in the shower."

She stood with him in the shower, their naked bodies against each other. He kept his hands close to her breasts.

"I'm taking you to the Doctor today."

"Why, sir?"

"I want your tits enlarged." He said, still fondling.

"If that's what you want, sir."

"I like my bitches to have big tits." He said. "and your's are big, but not big enough."

After the shower, the two people sat in the bathtub. His hands still on her breasts kissing her neck.

"Sir, I need to get to school."

"You have chores to do, sex to give, and a Doctor appointment. You aren't going today."

"Sir, I have a test."

He smacker her across the face. "Don't you dare argue with me!" He yelled. "For arguing with me, you loose your food privileges for a week."

"I apologize, sir."

She sat in the Doctor's office, he agreed to enlarge her breasts. She would have surgery later that day.

She arrived home, breasts enlarged. He pushed her to the floor.

"Get your chores done." He said handing her a piece of paper. "Tell me something, what are you doing wrong?"

"I'm not sure, sir."

"Why the fuck do you have clothes on while in my presence?" He yelled.

"Sorry, sir." She said quickly removing her top, pants, and undergarments.

"That's better." He said, eyes on her new breasts. "By the way, my friends are coming over tonight. You will wear the sluty teacher outfit, and dance around the pole while we get plastered. You will then, give each of us a lap dance, and then you will enter your cage, and I will sell you for the night, got it?"

"Whatever pleases you, sir."

"You know what will please me?" He asked.

"What, sir?"

"Start calling me Master." He said.

"Whatever you wish, master."

"Excellent. How much longer do you have for this chore?"

She looked at the foyer, she was scrubbing. "Not too much longer, master."

"Excellent."

"Would you like another round, master?"

"No, I'll save that for later. I want you stop scrubbing, and go into your cage until time to dance."

Her cage was exactly that. A cage. What looked to be an enlarged bird cage, hanging from the ceiling, about two feet off the ground. He shoved her inside of it, closed and locked the door, putting the key in his pocket.

A few hours later, the cage was opened. "Let's go." He said pulling her by her hair out of the cage. "Put this on." He said tossing her the costume.

Her costume was black, red, and lacy. It barely covered her breasts, especially with them enlarged. She put her hair up in a messy bun, not bothering to make it neat, since it would be down in a matter of minutes. She put on glasses, for pants, she didn't have pants, she had a black lacy thong, that was mesh in the front, so it might as well be see-through. She had a ruler prop, and she slowly walked up the stairs.

"Go faster, bitch." He said pushing her a flight of stairs, smacking her backside as she fell.

"Sorry, master." She said going faster.

Upstairs were four men, including her master, sitting on the couch near a pole that descended from the ceiling. They were drinking booze faster than their kidneys could handle, and she knew that if the man to her master's left was the one to purchase her tonight, it was going to be a rough night.

"Go." Her master said, starting some music.

She danced around the pole, slowly removing one article of clothing, and then another, and then another. The men were excited, especially about her new breasts. Maybe after the men left, she wouldn't receive to bad of a beating, not like last time.

The lap dances were over, and she stood inside her cage, still unclothed.

"Let's start at one hundred for the night." Her master said.

"I'll give you a thousand, if you let me do what I want to her, no questions asked. And _she_ does what she's told." The man that was sitting to her master's left said.

"Sold." Her master said, grabbing the wad of cash. Unlocking the cage.

The two people laid on the bed, where she was previously at.

"I don't want to know your name, I will refer to you as bitch, and whore, and whatever else during tonight, okay?" He said.

"Yes, sir."

He smacked her across the face as hard as he could. "For tonight, I'm your master, got it?" He demanded.

"Yes master."

"Good." He pointed to the wall. "Get against it, assume the position."

She quietly did as she was told. He pulled out a paddle, from the closet of toys.

"I'm going to paddle you, and then we're going to have sex, got it, bitch?"

"Yes master."

Smack, smack, smack, smack, smack, smack.

He stopped for a moment.

"Lay on the floor, on your back." He demanded.

She quietly did as she was told. He reached into the closet again, and found a leather strap. Careful not to hit her new breasts, he began to swing.

Smack, smack, smack, smack, smack, smack.

"Have you had enough, whore?"

She chocked back the tears. "When you think I have, master."

"Get up on the bed, you fucking whore." He said, but not before smacking her backside with his hand.

Soon, she was bound on the bed by duct tape, legs on the baseboard and wrists on the headboard. He poured alcohol on her breasts, and began to fondle them with his tongue.

Soon, after her breasts were dry, he stared at her breasts, and spoke.

"Get on the floor, and get on all fours."

She quietly did as she was told, and he began to hit her again.

"Master, please stop." She pleaded, after the tenth smack to her backside with the paddle.

He pulled her up by her hair, eye level. "I will stop, when I feel like it. Objects. Don't. Talk. Got it?"

"Yes Master." She said remaining standing.

"Get the fuck back down on all fours!" He yelled. She did, and he resumed hitting her.

"Your normal master said I can keep you as long as I want, and I intend to get my money

out of you." He said dryly.

"I'm here to please, master."

Once her backside began bleeding, he kicked her in the stomach, causing her to fall over onto her back, legs apart. He climbed on top of her, and kissed her lips, then her neck, then her breasts, and finally her stomach.

He stepped outside the room. "Do you still have those chains to hang whores from the ceiling, so you can fuck 'um standing up?" He called.

"No." Her normal master called. "The bitch broke 'um."

He stared at her, menenacingly. He rummaged through the closet of toys and found chains, he hooked them to the bed posts. "Now." He said, pointing to the bed.

He wrapped on chain around her neck, and made a leash. "Crawl, I want more booze."

Her normal master saw her. "She behaving?"

"Better than last time." He said taking a bottle from the fridge.

"Excellent." He said resuming watching television.

"What time is it?" He asked, opening the bottle.

"9 o'clock." her normal master said.

"Crap, I have to beat my wife home." He said letting her out of the makeshift collar, zipping his pants, and running out the door.

Her master looked at her. "I don't have a choice but to let you go to school tomorrow, and believe me, I wish I did. However, you will not go to bed, until your chores are finished. He said standing her a stack of papers.

"Yes master." She said beginning to look at the first chore.

"Wait," He said reaching into a bag nearby. "Put this on." He said tossing her a French Maid costume. It barely covered her chest, didn't cover her stomach, and the pants were a thong. "Resume."

He drank booze and watched her work, smacking her from time to time.

Around 4 o'clock in the morning, she was finally able to sleep. He locked her in a small broom closet, that was her bedroom.

She arrived at school, the boys were talking to her, which is something that never happened prior to today. Her friend walked up to her.

"Can I touch?" He asked.

"Meet me in the bathroom, sure."

The two people stood in a bathroom.

"Let me see." He demanded.

She took her shirt and he undid her bra. His eyes grew to the size of baseballs. He fondled them with his hands.

"So much better than math class." He said still touching her.

The two friends left the bathroom, her first, and the friend followed a few minutes later. She saw the school social worker walking down the hall, and abruptly turned around.

"Wait!" The social worker called out.

She had no choice but to turn around. The social worker first saw her new breasts, and sighed. "Let's go to my office, hm?"

"Why?"

"I wanna talk to you."

"There's nothing to talk about."

"Why did you do that to yourself?"

"What?"

"Your chest."

"I wanted to feel beautiful, the boys are finally talking to me." She said running off before the social worker could ask another question.

She arrived home. Began to remove her clothes, until her master stopped her.

"Get on the floor." He demanded. "I'll take your clothes off myself."

She laid on the floor, he laid on top of her and began to remove her clothes, first the shirt, than the bra, which he made her she only wore ones that hinged in the front, he slowly took off her pants and underwear, which she was only allowed to wear thongs, and he began to have sex with her.

"Master, please; have mercy, I'm still in pain from last night."

He smacked her across the face. "Does it look like I care?" He demanded.

"No, master."

"That's because I don't. You are my bitch, I want sex now, you will give it to me, now." He said smacking her again. He got off of her. "Get on all fours." He demanded.

"Please master, don't hit me."

"I'll hit you if I want." He said smacking her backside. "But no, you are not in this position for me to hit you." He said with a smile.

After he had finished. He pulled her up by her hair. "You won't be going to school tomorrow…so I'm going to give you a choice. You can either, have a round of sex, the roughest it has ever been, or, I beat you to a pulp and then you work."

"Sex, master."

The two of them laid on the bed, she was bound again, this time by handcuffs. Duct tape was placed on her mouth. He poured alcohol, all over her, and began to fondle her breasts and stomach with his tongue.

Once she was dry, and he drunk; he rummaged through the closet and found a studded leather strap. He unbound her wrists, shoved her onto her stomach, and bound her arms and legs together, above her back, with the strap.

When he had finished, her limbs resumed their natural position.

"Anything else, master?"

"Yeah, go make me a sandwich." He said smacking her backside. "Naked."

"Yes, master."

She stood at the kitchen island, preparing a sandwich, to which he moved aside, and placed his face in her breasts. He then, still drunk, reached into the refrigerator and grabbed the whipped cream, and began to rub it on her breasts.

"Lay down." He said shoving her onto the island, and began to take the whipped cream off his tongue.

At school the next day, the school social worker stood by her first hour classroom.

"Don't even bother going in, let's go." She said motioning for her to follow.

"Why?"

"Because I said so."

She sat in the social worker's office. The social worker handed her a sweater. "This should fit a little better, around the…..ya know."

"I don't want it."

"You're distracting the boys."

"Good." She said smiling.

The social worker stared at her. "You've always been quiet, why the sudden change?"

She shrugged.


	2. Chapter 2

"Something happen at home?"

"My home life is fine."

"I didn't ask if your home life was okay, I asked if something happened." The social worker said with a raised eyebrow.

"Nope. I have freakin June and Ward Cleaver for parents, everything is peachy. We done?"

Ignoring the last comment, the social worker flipped through some papers. "Says you're a ward of the state."

She sighed. "Yep."

"So who do you live with?"

"Why is that your business?"

"I'm a social worker, it's what I do."

"Still doesn't matter."

"It must, if you won't tell me."

"We're done." She said leaving the small office.


	3. Chapter 3

She arrived home, only to find him standing at the door with his hands on his hips.

"You want to tell me what happened today?"

"I don't know."

"Your school called. Some dumbass social worker talk to you?"

"Yes, master."

"What about?"

"My grades are slipping." She said lying through her teeth, but if he really knew what had taken place, she would be in more trouble than if she was caught lying.

"Why does a social worker care about your grades? besides with your new boobs, you could get all F's and still pass."

"I don't know, I suppose the consulars were busy."

"Follow me." He ordered. The two of them walked into the kitchen. "Did you not clean this floor yesterday?"

"I did, master."

"Then why doesn't it look like it?" She said pushing her to the floor.

There were muddy footprints everywhere, including the ceiling. "I suppose I forgot, master. I apologize. I'll fix it now."

He pulled her up by her hair, and smacked her across the face. "I've written them down. This isn't the first time you've forgotten a chore."

"I'm sorry."

"Sorry doesn't cut it. I have company coming over tonight, and my kitchen is a mess." He said smacking her again. "Fix it, while I think of a proper punishment." He said shoving her back down to the floor.

She quickly began to finish the floor, hoping if she made it immaculate that he wouldn't beat her quite as bad.

A few minutes later, he walked back into the room holding the studded strap.

"I can beat you to a pulp for not cleaning the kitchen, or we can sex."

She thought for a moment. "What would you like?"

He smacked her across the stomach with the strap. "Pick."

She choked back the tears. "Sex."

He pulled her up by the hair. Wrapped her arms behind her in the strap, and led her to the bedroom.

He shoved her onto the bed, arms still tied behind her, she noticed the three men from the other night, all standing around the bed.

"Master?"

"Yes, you're going to have sex with all of us, while the other three watch."

"Can I change my mind and take the beating?"

"If you let all of us beat you."

She nodded. "Okay."

He put a strip of duct tape over her mouth. Unbound her hands, pushed her onto the floor, onto her stomach, and began to swing at her with the studded strap.

The next day before school. She walked into the social worker's office.

"I was hoping you might stop by." The social worker said, not turning from her computer. "Close the door, and sit on down."

She sat quietly until the social worker turned back around. She sighed as she noticed the bruises to her face. "Do you have a favorite female teacher?"

"No, not really."

"Okay. One moment." The social worker left the office, returning a moment later with her English teacher.

"Hi." She said quietly.

"Hi." The teacher responded.

"I never deal with matters like this alone." The social worker responded. "Not with the way people through lawsuits around these days."

She nodded. Her English teacher sat next to her.

"Who did this to you?"

"Nobody. I just wanted to tell you not to call my house again."

"I see you got punished for it, hm?"

She nodded.

"Do you have a boyfriend?" The English teacher asked.

"Well, me and my friend Whyatt have sex in the bathroom stalls all the time, but we're not dating. But he didn't do this to me."

"Who did?" The teacher asked.

"Nobody."


	4. Chapter 4

"Someone did." The social worker said.

"It doesn't matter."

"It does if you're in danger." The English teacher said.

"I'm not."

"Your face says otherwise." The social worker said raising an eyebrow.

_You should see the rest of me._ She thought to herself but otherwise not responding.

"I bet, if her face is this bad; that the rest of her body is worse." The English teacher said.

"You think?" The social worker said with her eyebrow still raised, she walked across the room and drew a small curtain down over a glass window on her door. "Show us."

"No, there's nothing wrong."

"We're not looking at your breasts, lift up your shirt to the bottom of your breasts, okay?"

"No. There's nothing wrong."

"If there's nothing wrong, why won't you show us your stomach?"

"I just can't." She said leaving the room.

She arrived home, received a smack to the face, upon arriving home.

"The kitchen still isn't clean, there a reason?"

"Your friends came over last night."

She received another smack. "I don't care. The kitchen should sparkle!"

"I'm sorry. I'll fix it."

"You will. After you fix me a sandwich. Naked."

She quietly removed her shirt and pants. "Master, may I keep my bra and underwear on?"

He thought for a moment and smiled. "Only if I can fuck you any way, any toys, for as long as I want, once the kitchen is clean."

"Don't you do that anyway?"

"Exactly." He said unhooking her bra, and pulling down her underwear. "Get on all fours."

She quickly got on all fours, and received a few smacks to her backside.

"What did I do, master?"

"You asked if you could keep your bra and underwear on." He said smacking her again. "Now, get on your back. We're gonna do it."

She quickly flipped around, and spread out on the floor. He climbed on top of her caressing her breasts with his hands, kissing her neck, and soon her breasts.

His face was between her breasts when he looked up. "Stay like that." He said getting up, and going to the fridge. He pulled out vanilla ice cream and chocolate syrup. He put the ice cream on her breasts and stomach, and then proceeded to pour the syrup onto the ice cream. He again put his face in her breasts, licking off the ice cream.

He looked up, ice cream and syrup covering his face. "Shower, now."

"Do you not want the kitchen done?"

He smacked her across the face. "If I wanted it done right now, I wouldn't be having sex. Get your fucking ass in the shower."

They stood in the shower. "Assume the position."

She leaned up against the wall, while he smacked her, the warm water running down their bodies.

He pushed her out of the shower, with a hard smack to her backside. "Go clean the kitchen, whore."

"Yes, master."

"Wear the maid costume."

"Yes, master."

Three hours later, she emerged from the kitchen, dirty and grimy.

"Master, it's clean."

"Good. Come sit on my lap."

She sighed, and sat on his lap, their faces towards each other.

"Take the top off."

She quietly took the top off, while he smiled. "Good. Now, go to bed."

"Am I going to school tomorrow?"

"I haven't decided. Go to bed. Now."

She nodded, and silently left.

The next day, after much pleading, and a beating, she arrived at school.

Whyatt came up to her. "Hey, wanna skip first hour?"

She smiled. "Meet me in the bathroom, I need to do something first."

"No. I need sex. Whatever you need to do can wait."

"No." She said pushing him away. "It can't."

"Whatever, I'll go find Melissa."

"Go for it."

She turned around to find the school social worker with a smile on her face. "I'm proud."

"Can I talk to you?"

"Let me go grab Mrs. Jackson, okay?"

She nodded.


	5. Chapter 5

The social work arrived with Mrs. Jackson.

"Sweetheart, I have an emergency I have to deal with. We'll need to talk tomorrow." The social worker said running out of the office.

"Am I not an emergency?" She asked Mrs. Jackson.

"You are, but if she's going where I think she's going. You'll live through the night. This kid won't."

"Are you a social worker?"

"I'm certified, but I prefer to teach."

She nodded and left the room.

She arrived home to find him with a stack of paper in his hand. "First, take your shirt and bra off. I only care about your tits right now."

She did as she was told. "Now, go make dinner. Just like that." He said touching her breasts.

"Yes master, what would you like?"

"I don't care."

She appeared a few minutes later with a sandwich and chips.

"Good enough." He said pushing it to the side. "Go do your chores."

"Like this?"

He smacked her across the face. "If I wanted you dressed differently, I would have told you. Get to work, whore."

"But master, some of these chores require me to go outside."

"So?"

"I'll need a shirt."

"Nope." he said. "Argue again and I'll make you take it all off, beat you, and then you'll still have to work."

She quietly walked off, and looked at her list of chores. There was more than usual. She knew she wasn't going to get much sleep tonight.

"Better yet. Get your fine ass tits back in here." He called.

She walked slowly to him. Aware of what was going to happen.

"Take the rest of your clothes off, and get on all fours."

"Master, do you want me to do my chores?"

He smacked her across the stomach with the belt in his hand. "Do what I said."

She did as she was told, he turned the belt into a leash and smacked her on the backside. "Crawl."

"To where, master?"

"The bedroom."

Upon entering the bedroom, he pulled the makeshift leash off of her, pulled her up by her hair, and threw her onto the bed.

"On your stomach. Now. I'm gonna smack it until you're sore."

He pulled the wooden paddle out of the closest, and began to swing. She choked back the tears.

"Have you had enough, whore?"

"When you think I have, master."

He violently flipped her onto her back.

"I think you need a lesson in doing what your told the first fucking time." He said smacking her across the face.

"Master, I will."

"You said that last time." He said crawling on top of her and putting his face in her breasts.

"Master, please, stop." She pleaded.

He looked up at her with intense anger.

"What have I told you in the past?"

"You'll stop when you want to."

"Exactly." He said smacking her across the face. "You are an object. Object's don't talk. They simply do as their told, and if I have to get out the duct tape to make that happen, I will. But, you've killed the mood. Get your ass on the floor, and get back on all fours."

She did as she was told, and this time was smacked to the backside with the leather strap. Causing her to bleed.

"There we go." He said with a smile on his face. Again pulling her up by her hair, pushing her against the wall and putting his face into her breasts. He emerged a few seconds later. "Go get your chores done."

"Naked?"

He smacked her across the face. "That answer your question?"

"Yes master."

She walked into school the next day incredibly exhausted. Whyatt walked up to her.

"I want my hands on those tits."

"Go find Melissa." She said starting to run off.

He pulled her back by her shirt, pulled her into the bathroom, into the stall. He slipped his hands under her shirt and smiled as he realized she wasn't wearing a bra.

"Whyatt, stop. I have to go talk to someone."

"You're a girl. You just need to stop talking and let Daddy do his job. I want sex."

"I don't."

"You're a girl. Who cares?"

"I care." A male voice said from behind Whyatt. He turned around to find the social worker, Mrs. Jackson and the head principal of the school all looking at him, with his hands still on her breasts.

"My office. Now." The principal said in a booming voice, leading Whyatt out of the bathroom stall.

"My office. Come on." The social worker said.

"Am I in trouble?"

"Not as far as I know, come on."

"No. I'm okay."

"You're not. Come on."

"I should have given him the sex. This whole mess could have been avoided."

"Is that all you think you're good for?" Mrs. Jackson asked.

"I know that's all I'm good for." She said crying and running out of the bathroom.

The social worker began to run after her, but Mrs. Jackson stopped her. "I've got this. Meet us in your office."

She didn't make it very far before being stopped by another teacher.

"What are you doing?" The teacher asked.

"I-I-I-ummm…"

"Exactly. Get to class."

"Justin." Mrs. Jackson said. "She's with me. She's fine."

"Why the tears."

"She hit her funny bone on the bathroom stall."

He glared at Mrs. Jackson. "Fine. I can't prove anything. Will you be at the meeting later?"

"I hope so, I'm giving the presentation."

He nodded and left. Mrs. Jackson knelt down beside her, so that their eyes would meet. "You know what, you've been in my class all semester and I don't know your name."

"It's Charlie."

"What's that short for?"

"Nothing, my Dad wanted a boy."

"Ah, well, Charlie, what do you say we go talk some, hm? Just the two of us?"

Charlie began to cry again.

"What?"

"No one has ever bothered to know my name before."


	6. Chapter 6

Charlie arrived home after school and after a meeting with the social worker and Mrs. Jackson that she found to be no help. She received a smack to the stomach with the studded leather strap upon arrival.

"Master?" She asked, holding back tears.

"Whyatt here tells me you denied him sex twice this week because you needed to talk to someone?"

Charlie looked over, and saw Whyatt smiling ear to ear.

"How do you know Whyatt?" She asked. She received another smack with the strap.

"I don't think that's really any of your business. Is it?"

"No master. I apologize."

"Now, I'm going to give you three choices, and you decide your punishment."

"Punishment for what?"

"FOR TALKING TO A DUMBASS SOCIAL WORKER, YOU WORTHLESS TWIT!"

"But I didn't talk to a social worker."

She received a smack to the face.

"I saw you talking to some lady in the hall." Whyatt demanded.

"That's my English teacher."

"Then why did she take you down to the social work office?"

"She didn't. She took me to my consular who was in the office, I needed some paperwork."

"Still, you got near a social worker. So, after you have sex with Whyatt, you have sex with me…and then I call over the boys and you have sex with them. OR, you have sex with Whyatt, and I beat you to a pulp. OR, you have sex with Whyatt, then spend a week straight in your cage, no food, no water, no anything. But you will give Whyatt the sex he wants."

"Can I just give Whyatt the sex?"

She received a smack to the face. "Did I give you that option?"

"The second one."

"Let's go, bitch." Whyatt said.

They laid on the bed, next to each other. Charlie without clothes, Whyatt's clothes on, pants unzipped. He kept a hand on her breast.

"Whyatt?" Charlie asked.

"Shut up, I'm decided how we're gonna do it."

After a few moments of silence. He looked at her and smiled, and climbed on top of her. He placed his face in her breasts. After a few quick thrusts, he climbed off of her.

"We're done. Go get the beating you deserve." He said smacking her backside. "Crawl."

"Master, would you like me to do a strip routine first?"

"Nope." He said rolling the studded leather strap around his hand. "Whyatt, go get my the handcuffs from the closet." He said reaching over and pressing a button on a remote making the silver pole descend to the floor.

He handcuffed her to the pole, and began to swing, not caring what he was hitting. He was normally careful not to hit the new breasts, not this time. When she was on the floor unable to stand, he let her out of the handcuffs.

"See, this is what you get for not giving men sex." He said kicking her in the stomach. "Now, what else can we make her do, Whyatt?"

"My car needs washed. I bet if we told people a naked bitch would wash your car, we could make some cash."

"Maybe this weekend." He said smiling.

Whyatt thought for a moment. "Come sit on my lap, and let me just touch those awesome tits of your's."

"Master, I can't move."

"YOU WILL OR I'LL BEAT YOU AGAIN!" He said pulling her up the hair and shoving her towards Whyatt.

"There a reason you didn't make them bigger?" Whyatt asked.

"I should have. I know. I thought about that after we had done it."

"Why don't we do it tomorrow?" He said rubbing his hands over her chest.

"Can't. That doctor got fired for giving tit jobs to minors."

The next day at school, she walked very slowly. She didn't have to worry about Whyatt at school, the scene in the bathroom caused him an immediate expulsion. But she knew she had to do something, or she would have to face him at home again.

She walked into the social worker's office. Mrs. Jackson was already sitting in there.

"We were hoping you'd come by." Mrs. Jackson said.

Charlie pulled the small curtain down, pulled off her shirt; turned around slowly, and slipped her shirt on again. "That enough proof?"

"Who did this?" The social worker demanded.

"I don't know his name. But Whyatt helped."


	7. Chapter 7

"How do you not know his name?" Mrs. Jackson asked.

She shrugged. "No."

"We need it."

"I don't know it. I just call him…" She paused, and tried to get to the door, but Mrs. Jackson beat her to it.

"What does he make you call him?" The social worker asked softly.

"It doesn't matter."

"Wanna go for a walk?" Mrs. Jackson asked.

"Where?"

"Just around the hallway. I just got a text saying my class was misbehaving."

She nodded.

They walked quietly to her classroom. "Wait here."

She went in, screamed a little bit and walked back out into the hallway.

"What was the point of me coming with you?" Charlie asked.

"Nothing, I know Alex can be a little demanding sometimes. But what does he make you call him?"

"It doesn't matter." Charlie said sprinting down the hallway before Mrs. Jackson could stop her.

She arrived home. Scared to see what would happen. She didn't see anyone at home at first, sighed and shut the door. Only to find herself smacked on the face, by Whyatt; who was hiding behind the door.

"He had to go to the grocery store. So I convinced him to leave you with me. He didn't like the idea of doing chores himself, but when I gave him a hundred bucks, he couldn't refuse. So, is there a reason you're wearing clothes?"

She quickly removed her clothes and stood before Whyatt. He stood and unzipped his pants. He touched her chest. "Get your fine tits on the floor." He said shoving her onto the floor.


	8. Chapter 8

Once she was on the floor, he duct taped her mouth, and began to massage her breasts with his hands.

"They shoulda been bigger." He said menacingly.

He then began to have violent sex with her. Once he was done, he violently flipped her onto her back. "All fours. Now."

She quickly did as she was told. He pulled his belt out of the loopholes on his pants. She quickly pulled the duct tape off of her mouth.

"Whyatt, I can't take another beating." She pleaded.

"Put that fucking tape back on your fucking mouth and shut the fuck up!" He yelled, beginning to swing at her backside. She chocked back the tears and placed the duct tape back on her mouth.

He came home a few minutes later, blood from the old wounds had spilled onto the carpet.

"Did she misbehave?" He demanded.

"No." Whyatt said. "I just wanted to smack the bitch around."

"Fair enough. You are however-" He said glaring at Charlie. "Going to be punished for getting blood on my white carpet. "Go bring the food in." He demanded. "While I think of what I'm going to do to you."

"Do it naked." Whyatt added. "Well, put on some pants so I don't get arrested for beating you. But the shirt stays off."

She quickly brought in and unloaded the groceries chocking back tears from passerby.

"Master." She said entering the living room. "It's done."

"Good." He said glaring at her. "For getting blood on the carpet, you're going to spend the next week in your cage. No food, no water. No nothing. Take the pants off."

She did as she was told, he dragged her by the hair, while Whyatt smacked her backside as he passed by. He violently threw her into the metal cage, locked the door, and pocketed the key.

"I won't be going to school?" She asked through the bars.

"Of course not, you twit. Besides, with tits like those, you don't need an education. Just a client list." He left, shutting the cellar door, leaving her in total darkness.

The next day Mrs. Jackson walked into the social workers office. "Have you seen Charlie?" She asked.

"No. Why?"

"She wasn't in class. I'm worried. Have you reported her markings?"

"Doing it now."

"Did you take pictures?"

"No. But I remember them enough. Do you have her cell number?"

"No. Why?"

"Because, she's a ward of the state. If whoever is doing this to her, is her foster parent; if we call them, they'll lie and say they just forgot to call and say she was sick. Go find it."

"From who? Her only _friend_ was Whyatt."

"Chances are, if she was having sex with Whyatt, he's not the only one. Go to every classroom if you have to."

Mrs. Jackson left returning about twenty minutes later with a slip of paper. "One student _thinks_ this is it." She said picking up the phone. "Charlie? - It's Mrs. Jackson. - Wait, stop crying - okay, so talk softly - he did? - alright, you hang tight. I'm going to call the cops - Okay, I'll stay on the line with you." She tossed her cell phone to the social worker. "Mrs. Layne is calling the cops for you. - I know, I know They'll be there soon. Just talk to me until they are. - So talk softly."


	9. Chapter 9

Mrs. Jackson wrote on a slip of paper, while trying to calm Charlie down.

_The two of us need to go down there, she'll need a familiar face, a woman. - You go, I'm going to have to deal with the damage control of why we didn't report this sooner. I look in her file, she's been with him for three years._

Mrs. Jackson nodded and quickly left the office, leaving the school. Still on the line with Charlie. "I'm on my way too sweetheart, you just hang tight. Okay? - Breathe honey, I know it hurts but you need to breathe until the police get to you."

Mrs. Jackson got to the house the same time as the police.

"What do we have here?" A cop asked Mrs. Jackson.

"Sweetheart." She said talking on the phone to Charlie. "I'm going to give you the phone, the cops are right outside, you tell this man exactly what you just told me. - Okay, okay. Calm down." She looked at the cop. "She wants to talk to a woman."

"Jess!" He called motioning for a woman. "Talk to our victim."

Jess, a female police officer grabbed the phone. "What's her name?"

"Charlie." Mrs. Jackson said.

"What's that short for?"

"Nothing, she said her father wanted a boy."

"I see. Alright." Jess began to speak to Charlie. "Charlie, my name is Jess, I'm a cop. What's going on? - Alright, we're gonna come in now. - We have a ram, we're fine. I'm going to give you back to whoever this lady is, okay?"

"Sweetheart. Is anyone home with you? - Alright." Mrs. Jackson asked. "Both the….man, who's name we still don't know, and Whyatt are home, and she hears footsteps."

"Bash that door in NOW!" Jess yelled, watching the men run into the house first. "I need you to follow me. Chances are, if she wouldn't talk to a man over the phone, she's not going to talk to a man when they get to her."

Mrs. Jackson followed. "Have you ever done this before?"

"I've been doing this for fifteen years. I see it all the time in foster children, however, I have no idea what to expect right now."

"I've been a certified social worker for over ten, and I've never dealt with this."

"How do you not deal with foster children?"

"I teach, mainly. But I got my degree in social work first. I just work when the high school social worker gets bogged down. A little extra money from time to time."

Jess nodded. "Okay, they've handcuffed….his name is Victor, and Whyatt. Our turn."

They walked into the cellar to find Charlie cowering in her cage. The male cops trying to calm her down, to no avail. She was bloody all over, old wounds reopening with every move. No one had thought to put clothes on her.

"Someone tell me something!" Jess yelled. "Why has no one thought to put clothes on her?"

The men all stared at Jess. "She said Whyatt burned them, there was a rule about not wearing clothes in his presence, and that's what happened if she was." one cop finally spoke up.

"So get something to put on her. A towel would suffice for now you twits!"

"Here." Mrs. Jackson said removing her jacket, and slowly walking it to Charlie. She helped Charlie put it on and button it, amongst the wincing pain.

"You'll ruin your jacket." One cop said.

Jess quickly turned to him. "Really? That's all you fucking care about right now? Tell me something, why did you become a cop?"

"To help people, ma'am."

"Is that jacket more important than this is 16 year old girl?"

"Well, ma'am. It's just-" He began to laugh. "This is Charlie Cline."

"I'm fully fucking aware of who this is. That does not make her any less of a victim. Get the fuck out of my sight! I will speak to Commander Waters about this."

The cop slowly left the house, almost in tears.

Mrs. Jackson pulled Jess aside. "You must have some power."

"I'm a second lieutenant. Not the highest, but I rank these guys about three times. Four the asshole that made the jacket comment. But I have a feeling my rank wasn't what you wanted to talk about?"

"How do all those men seem to know her?"

Jess sighed. "Charlie was a prostitute before becoming a ward of the state. I'm going to make the assumption that Victor knew this, and that's why he treated her the way he did."

"What do we do with her?"

"She's 16, she could live alone. But I don't think right now she's mentally capable of it. She'll be in the hospital for a few days, we'll figure out something after that."

Charlie laid in the hospital in a drug induced coma. Mrs. Jackson stood by her and held her hand, hoping she would wake up, even though she knew it wasn't possible at this moment, without Charlie being in too much pain. The doctor walked in the room.

"Are you her mother?"

"No, just a friend. She's a ward of the state."

"Well, we're going to wake her up later today. She should be ready to go home tomorrow. But it's going to be a slow recovery. Those two men really messed her up, physically and emotionally. I would hate for her to end up in a group home."

"I'm working on that." She said not letting go of Charlie's hand and picking up the phone. "Jess, she's going home tomorrow. Do you have somewhere to put her? - Excellent. - Yeah, later tonight."

Jess came to the hospital after Charlie was awaking.

"Charlie, can you answer some questions?"

She didn't speak.

"Charlie?"

She only blinked.

Another doctor came in. "Ladies, she's been traumatized pretty badly. I've only seen this one other time. We don't know what in the brain causes it, but basically, she's quit speaking."

"Can she speak?"

"Yes. She just won't."

"Okay. Charlie." Jess said. "I'm going to ask you yes or no questions. Blink once for yes, twice for no. Can you do that?"

Once.

"Are the men that did this to you the men that we arrested?"

Once.

"That's all I need." Jess said leaving the room.

"Charlie, Mrs. Jayne. Found you a foster home, just a single mom with four other girls. Would you like that?" Mrs. Jackson said.

Twice.

"Why not?"

She remained silent.

She handed Charlie a scrap piece of paper and a pen.

_The women are worse than the men. Can't I stay with you?_


	10. Chapter 10

"No, sweetheart. You can't."

_Why not?_

"My house isn't set up for kids. Wouldn't you rather be with other kids?"

Twice.

"Why not?"

_The kids are the worst of all. Most of them know about my past, and if they don't, it's only a few days before they do._

"I understand. But does your past define your future?"

_It does when you're in the system._

"I see. Well, I promise no one in this house will hurt you."

Charlie rolled her eyes.

_That's what the last social worker that placed me with him said._

Mrs. Jackson flipped through some papers. "Damn, how did I fucking miss that?"

_Most social workers don't care where you go, as long as they put you somewhere._

"Sweetheart, I promise the house Mrs. Layne picked out is nice, I've been there on several visits for other children. But, I need to go talk to her right now. Will you be okay?"

Once.

Mrs. Jackson ran into the school, burst into the social work's office, she was with a student balling her eyes out.

"I need to talk to you. Now." Mrs. Jackson demanded.

"Can it wait?" She asked pointing to the student.

"You can either talk to me now, or I talk to Principal Mills now, take your pick."

"About what?"

"You know damn fucking well about what?"

Mrs. Layne sighed. "I do. Gimmie ten?"

"Five." She said slamming the door.


	11. Chapter 11

Fifteen minutes later, the social worker emerged from her office. A student walked out, wiping her eyes.

"That girl there, was raped last week, raped by her brother's best friend. She went to the doctor yesterday, not only is she pregnant at fifteen, by a boy who's name she can't even recall. She's HIV positive. So, whatever you need to talk about, when I say it can wait, it can wait, got it?" Mrs. Layne demanded.

"Yeah, ya done?"

"Sure. What do you need?"

"Charlie."

"Oh God! I'm sick of hearing about Charlie! Yes, she was being abused. We see it everyday, you may be in the classroom ninety percent of the time, but you see it, almost as much as I do. You may not be looking at it, but you see it. Stick her in a fucking foster home, weither she can speak or not, and move the fuck on the next little brat that needs your attention!"

"I wish I could."

There was a tap on Mrs. Jackson's shoulder. She turned around to find Charlie in tears.

"What sweetheart?" She said bending down to meet Charlie at eye level. Written on a scrap of paper, sloppily were the words.

_Forget you too. _Charlie threw it at Mrs. Jackson and ran out of the building.

Mrs. Jackson sighed deeply. "I'm going to explain things to her, but we are not done, by any means. When we are done, you'll be lucky to have a job, let alone, not be in federal prison." She said walking away to find Charlie.

Charlie, in a matter of minutes, had run across town as fast as she could to the only person she knew.

_Is Jake home_? She jotted down on a piece of paper, when a male, Jake's roommate opened the door.

"Nah, he's out. Whatcha need?"

_A place to sleep for a couple days._

"Lemme call him. Come on in."

_Thanks Will._

"Yep." He said.

A few minutes later, Will returned, with Jake on hold. "If you can pay a portion of the rent, you can stay."

_I don't have money, but I have a vagina, and I have breasts, both of them are his, if I can stay a couple days._

Will relayed the message to Jake. "He said okay."

Jake returned about an hour later, drunk.

"Charlie, where are you at?" He called.

"Here." She said from the bedroom.

He smiled, ran into the bedroom. Climbed on top of her, and began to kiss her, with his alcohol stained lips. He quickly unzipped his pants and took hers off.

"God, I miss this." He said.

She smiled.

Charlie ended up staying with Jake and Will for over a week. She walked into school one day, crying. Her first instinct was to go to the small office that for a brief time had become her sanctuary. But that had changed. Mrs. Jackson didn't care about her, neither did Mrs. Layne. She was just a paycheck to them. She wasn't a person. A person who at six years old watched their mother die at the hands of her father, and at eight years old, watch that father beat the tar out of her siblings, but she received most of the beatings trying to protect them. At nine, her and her three siblings lived on the street. She was oldest, she had to feed them, to clothe them, give them an education that she could not have, because she was having to play mother. So, she did what she had to do. Most guys kill for a child. At eleven, the state finally found out what was happening on those streets, and in those cars, and in those hotel rooms, she was shipped to foster homes, but separated from her siblings. She averaged two houses a week, sometimes three. She didn't even bother to unpack her clothes, the few she had, because she knew she wouldn't be there very long. She vowed to herself that one day she would get her siblings back, they would be together, and now that she was sixteen, if she could find them, she could do that. They would be fourteen, twelve, and ten years old now. At sixteen years old, she became pregnant.

A teacher tapping her on the shoulder shook her from her thoughts.

"Don't you need to be in class?"

She didn't speak.

"Can you not speak?"

She didn't speak.

"Are you even a student here?"

She didn't speak.

"Look, you'll need to come with me."

Charlie quietly followed to the Principal's office. She sat in his office, staring at him.

"What's your name?"

She didn't speak.

"Is there someone you will speak to?"

She didn't speak.

"Come with me." The Principal said, the two of them walked to every classroom, asking if she belonged in their first hour. Until they walked by Mrs. Jackson's class.

"Does she belong to you?"

"Yes." She said sighing.

"She won't speak."

"I know, I'll explain later."

"Alright. As long as she belongs here." The Principal walked off.

Mrs. Jackson continued her lesson, and roamed the aisles of her classroom, helping students with their worksheets. Charlie wasn't doing her worksheet. But scribbled onto a piece of paper were the words;

_Why me?_

Mrs. Jackson took her pencil, and wrote back.

_See me after class._

The bell rang, Charlie tried to leave the room, but was stopped.

"Sit down. I want to explain."

_Don't you have some fucking brat to take care of?"_

"It isn't like that at all."

_Then what is it?_

"Yes, I will admit. I put kids in foster homes as quickly as I can. But that's not to get rid of them, it's to give them a chance."

_Some chance I was given._

"I'm working on that. Now, the teacher that brought you to the Principal, said you were crying. What's wrong?"

_You don't give a fuck about me. Why would you care I'm pregnant?_

"You're pregnant?"

_Yeah, about a week or so._

"By who?"

_His name is Jake. He's the guy I've been sleeping with to have a roof over my head the past week. What kind of foster family wants me, as fucked up as I am, I can't even speak. Let alone, a fucked up teens baby, who will probably be just as fucked up as it's mother._

"I want the both of you. Fucked up or not."

_No you don't. You said so in the hospital._

"Yes, you won't be able to live with me. I looked into it, you can't because of my job. But I want you, weither you can live with me or not. We'll find you and your baby a place. Does Jake know?"

_Yeah, I told him this morning._

"And?"

_He doesn't want anything to do with the baby, he kicked me out of the house this morning._


	12. Chapter 12

"The two of us will figure it out. Okay?"

_Whatever. Are we done?_

"I guess."

_Do you know where Victor and Whyatt ended up?"_

"Last I heard, pending trial. Why?"

Charlie looked out the window. She could see the courthouse from the classroom window.

"Why?"

_Just curious. No one ever calls me about it anymore._

"Alright. What's your next class?"

_Study hall._

"Mine too. Wanna take a drive?"

_Where?_

"The house I found for you. Single mom, four kids, all girls."

_No. I'll live on the street._

"How'd that work out the first time?"

_This time I only have one mouth to feed. Not three."_

"Three?"

_I had siblings, but we were separated._

"Come on, I think it'll surprise you."

Mrs. Jackson and Charlie walked out of the classroom, Jake stood by the doorway.

"Baby girl, can we talk?"

"Are you a student here?" Mrs. Jackson asked.

"Nope. Dropped out when I was twelve, I don't need this damn place."

"Then leave. You can talk to Charlie after school."

"I need to talk to her now."

"I can call security, and judging by the bracelet on your ankle, they'll come pretty fast."

_It's okay. Can I meet you at the front door in ten?_

Mrs. Jackson sighed. "No. Charlie, I could loose my job."

_Who says you have to know?_

"Charlie, come on. We need to be somewhere."

"I said no."

"The lady said no." Jake said.

"Fine, don't go. Stay on the street. Have your baby taken from you, because you can't feed it! Have your baby taken from you just like your siblings were!"

Mrs. Layne came walking down the hallway. "What's the problem?"

"Nothing I can't handle."

"You obviously can't."

"You obviously don't understand what I meant, I said…go the fuck away for now, okay?"

"Fine. Jake; is there a reason you're here?"

"Yeah, to see my baby girl." He said kissing Charlie on top of the head.

"Yeah, that's fine and dandy; but aren't you supposed to stay away from all schools for at least 300 feet?"

"But my baby girl is here, and I need to talk to her."

"And your parole officer is downtown. Let's go." The school security officer said, leading him away.

Mrs. Layne walked off. "You're welcome."

Charlie stood next to Mrs. Jackson.

_What was the big deal?_

"There wasn't one really, until I found out the thing about the schools."

_Then why couldn't go into the bathroom with him?"_

"Ah, so you were going to have sex?"

_Of course, when Jake can't find Angela, he finds me."_

"And you're okay with that?"

_Sex is all I've ever been used for. Nothing new._

"Will you come with me?"

_I said. No._

"No, just to the conference room. I want to talk to you, and its relatively quiet down that hall."

_It's relatively quiet right here._

"It won't be. If my idea works."

_What idea?_

"I can't tell you that."

The two of them sat in the conference room. A police officer, and a paramedic were standing outside the door.

_What are they here for?_

"Just in case."

_In case of what?_

"Nothing. They only come in when I tell them too, and I don't plan on telling them to come in." Mrs. Jackson said drawing the shade on the room's windows. "I just couldn't do this without agreeing to let them stand guard."

_What are you talking about?_

"It's all your fault."

_What is?_

"Being used for sex. Your mother dying. Your father beating you. Being a prostitute at the age of nine, not being able to care of toddler siblings, not being able to stay with your siblings with what was, and is, the hardest time of their lives. Being stuck in foster care. Being treated like an object since you were a baby. Being sixteen and planning a baby. Everything. Maybe it would be better if you just dropped dead.

Charlie couldn't believe what she was hearing. The one person she trusted, telling her everything she already knew about herself. She tried to run out the door, but the cop stopped her, and gently pushed her back in the room.

"No, you need to hear this." Mrs. Jackson said. "Mrs. Layne was right, nobody gives a flying fuck about you. You are just a number to everyone in the school, especially me and Mrs. Layne, do you know how many kids we see in a day's time, a week's time, even a month's time. We don't have time, just because you've been smacked a few times, to focus on you. We have bigger things to do with our time."

The anger in Charlie was rising. Visibly. Her face was becoming redder and redder.

"Good. Now; who's going to take care of your baby? No judge is going to allow a teen as fucked up as you to keep a baby."

The anger was still rising. Charlie balled up her fists, Mrs. Jackson quickly grabbed a soft pillow tossed by the paramedic and put it near her stomach. "Hit it."

_What?_

"Come on. It's all your fault. You're going to loose your baby, you'll never see your siblings again."

Charlie began to punch the pillow as hard as she could, sobbing the entire time. Mrs. Jackson was soon out of breath, and fell to the floor, Charlie pinned her to the floor with her knees and still swung at the pillow.

"None of this is my fault you bastard!" She yelled, still beating the pillow. "How could a toddler be at fault for her mother's death. How could a nine year old know anything like that? I just needed to protect my siblings, and a lot of fucking good that did me!" She said swinging at the pillow so hard the stuffing fell out of it. "You want to know what's sad? Victor wasn't my first one to treat me like that. He wasn't even the worst. The worst was my first house I went to. One dad, a mom who couldn't give a shit what her sons do, and six boys. Do the fucking math. A lot of nights. The only time I was allowed out of the cellar was when one of them wanted sex. Hell, being locked in the cellar was the easy part. It was when they didn't lock me in there I had to worry." She said still punching the pillow with full force. "NONE OF THIS IS MY FUCKING FAULT! MAYBE MY NEW BABY, MAYBE, BUT I'M GOING TO RAISE IT LIKE ANY OTHER SINGLE MOTHER WOULD, WITH LOVE! GOT IT?" She said pulling the pillow off of Mrs. Jackson, flinging it across the room, and standing up.

"I do. Do you feel better?" Mrs. Jackson said also standing up.

Charlie stood motionless for a moment. "You didn't mean any of it?"

"Of course not. But; I knew if I didn't get your aggression out somehow, you'd go straight back to Jake."

"You would have let me hit you?"

"That's why I brought the pillow in, but….yes."


	13. Chapter 13

A/N: Sorry it's been so long, school has been a killer.

"I don't understand."

"You have been through more than any kid your age I know, and not just the fact your homeless, sixteen, and pregnant. I could tell you needed to release some anger, but I knew the only way you'd do that was if you heard what you believe, from someone you…..do you trust me?"

Charlie shook her head. "Everyone I've trusted has fucked me over. Literally. If I don't trust anyone, I'm not disappointed when they leave."

Mrs. Jackson knelt down beside her and wiped her tears with her thumb. She positioned her head where their eyes met. "I'm not going anywhere." She said embracing Charlie.

"People always leave. Always." Said sobbing in her shirt.

"I'm not most people." She whispered.

"But you don't even want me! Nobody wants me!"

"Sweetheart, I do want you. But, there's laws against students staying with teachers, the feds are afraid I'll molest you or something. I'll loose my job, and then I'd loose you, because foster kids can't stay with someone if they don't have a job."

Still sobbing, Charlie lifted her head up. Realizing she had left tear stains on her shirt. "Sorry."

"It's just water. Look, you're talking."

Charlie stood silently. "Yeah." She said softly staring at her feet.

"What?" Mrs. Jackson said.

"Nothing."

"Something."

Charlie was still looking at the ground.

"Charlie, I can't fix it unless you talk to me."

"You can't fix this."

"Not unless you give me a shot."

Charlie started crying again. Still looking at her feet. "Why me?" She whispered.

Mrs. Jackson stood motionless. "Sweetheart, I don't have answer. I know you want one. But, I don't think you'll ever find one. However, you need to know one thing. Look at me."

Charlie still looked at her shoes.

"Look at me."

Charlie still looked at her shoes.

Mrs. Jackson adjusted her face again so their eyes met. "NONE of this was your fault. NONE of it. Okay?"

"It has to be somehow. Otherwise…" Charlie said again looking at the floor.

"What?"

The bell rang. "I have a test, can we talk later?"

"It's your lunch hour."

"How'd you know?"

"It's not hard for me to find information on students."

"Well, anyway…."

"Look, why don't we go get some lunch and we'll sit outside and chat, okay?"

Charlie shook her head.

"Why not?"

Charlie stuck her hands in her pocket and continued looking at the floor.

"Charlie, look at me."

Charlie looked up, on the verge of tears.

"I want you to be honest with me. Okay?"

Charlie nodded.

"When was the last time you had something to eat?"

"When I was with Jake and Will."

"That was over a week ago."

Charlie nodded. "I'm used to it. The hunger pains subside eventually."

Mrs. Jackson thought for a moment. "Come on." She said ushering her out of the conference room.

"Where are you taking me?"

"To get some lunch."

The two of them walked into the cafeteria. "Get whatever you want." Mrs. Jackson said, grabbing a salad. The cafeteria worker who was taking the money, looked at Charlie. "Charlie, do you have money today?"

Mrs. Jackson stepped in front of her. "I've got both of us. Here is a check for the two lunches." She said beginning to write another check. "How much is her account in the hole?"

"Fifteen bucks."

"Here's the to check to put her at zero." Mrs. Jackson said beginning to write another check. "and here, is sixty dollars to put in her account, let me know when it gets low and I'll refill it."

The lunch lady smiled. "If someone is going to take an interest, I'm glad it's you."

"Let's take it to the teacher's lounge, there's a couch there, okay?"

Charlie nodded.

There were about five other teachers sitting around a table playing cards and eating lunch.

"Guys, I know this is unorthodox, but Charlie is going to eat in here."

"What the brat do to get kicked out of the cafeteria?" a male teacher said eying Charlie. "Have you studied for my test tomorrow?"

"Robert, she didn't do anything. I just need to talk to her."

Charlie nodded. "I have."

Robert scoffed. "What was the main cause of World War Two?"

"A lot of people think it was Hitler, but really it was The Treaty of Versailles."

Robert eyed her. "Good. Rebecca, take the back room. No one is there."

The two walked into a small back room. There was a couch, and a television.

"Sorry, couldn't fit a table. Just use your lap."

Charlie nodded. "Thanks."

"Anytime. Now, what were you saying before the bell rang?"

"It doesn't matter."

"Sure it does."

"Otherwise…..why doesn't my Dad want me? I had to do something wrong. He always said he wanted a boy. Maybe if I was a boy he'd love me."


	14. Chapter 14

"Hey, you are who you are. Don't go changing for some dick, okay?"

Charlie nodded. "Your name is Rebecca?"

Mrs. Jackson nodded.

"I like that name."

"Me too. Look, school ends in 45 minutes. We have to put you somewhere."

"Not with any foster parents."

"Where else?"

Charlie shrugged.

"Do you have Grandparents?"

"Yeah."

"Where are they?"

"One lives on Addams."

"Would you like me to take you there?"

"No, she hates me."

"Why?"

"I don't know, she hated my mother too."

Rebecca nodded. "You have to go somewhere."

"Look, I'll stay at Jake's."

"But you said this morning Jake doesn't want you."

"He doesn't, but his roommate Will is desperate for sex."

"We're going back to this, hm?"

"It gets me a roof over my head."

"Fine, destroy your body. It's your's. I don't care." Rebecca said angrily.

"Are you mad?"

"No. Just fed up."

"With what?"

"You thinking that giving men sex is going to solve your problems, how many has it actually fixed?"

Charlie looked at the floor.

"Exactly. And, not to put too fine a point on it, but you have eighteen years plus, of problems growing in your stomach. Why is giving Will sex going to fix things this time?"

"I don't know where else to go."

"To the house Mrs. Layne found you."

"NO." Charlie said running out of the room, out of the lounge, and out of the school.

"Rebecca?" Robert asked. "What happened?"

"I'm not really sure yet."

"Why are you taking an interest in her?"

"Because I see something no one else can."

"All I see is a kid who's going to end up pregnant, and on the side of a milk carton."

"Well, you've got the first half right." Rebecca said.

"She's pregnant?"

"That's what I said."

"Does Michael know? I mean, considering her past, and since he's the Principal, he needs to know."

"I think Lindsay told him."

"Hm, Maybe she'll drop out sooner and I can focus on the kids that matter." Other teachers nodded in agreement.

Rebecca left the room and violently shut the door.

Charlie had made it to Will's house, and knocked on the door.

"Hey, Jake wants nothing to do with you or the baby."

"I'm not here for him."

"Who are you here for?"

"You."

"Me?"

"Yeah, you let me sleep here awhile. I'll give you sex, anywhere, anytime, any style, any toys, any amount of violence, you want."

Will cleared his throat. "Show me your tits."

Charlie lifted up her shirt, Will cleared his throat again. "What about rent?"

"I was kind of hoping my chest and my vagina could take care of that for you."

"We'll see. So, I can smack you around if I want?"

"If you want."

"Hm, and all I have to give you is a bed?"

"Or a couch, whatever."

"Come on in." Will said.

Charlie stood inside.

"Angela!" Will called.

A girl with only a bra and lacy underwear on walked into the room. "Yes?"

"Charlie promised me things you didn't. Get your clothes on, get out."

"Wait." Charlie said. "Aren't four breasts better than two?"

"Yes, except I don't have four hands to touch them. Angela, get out."

Angela nodded.

Will looked at Charlie. "There a reason your not naked?"

"You hadn't told me to be."

"It should be an automatic. You said I can do anything, I want you naked at all times, something Angela refused."

Charlie nodded and removed her clothes. "Can I go to school?"

"I don't care what you do, but if I call you, you had better answer."

Charlie nodded. "Now what?"

"Hold on." Will said going into the other room. "ANGELA! I SAID GET YOUR CLOTHES ON AND GET THE FUCK OUT! - I DON'T CARE IF YOU HAVE NOWHERE ELSE TO GO! - GET THE FUCK OUT OF MY HOUSE! CHARLIE OFFERED, AND IS WILLING TO DO THINGS YOU'RE NOT!" BANG. Charlie could tell he had slammed her head against a wall, he was now beating her with his cat of nine tails. She had one of those on her back once. She didn't want that to happen again, she quickly put on her clothes, ran out of the house and to the next door neighbor, to try and get them to call the police. They already had.

By the time the police got there, Angela was dead. Charlie was forced to stay and give a statement. Of course, because Rebecca was Charlie's emergency contact at school, and Charlie wasn't able to give any other phone numbers, Rebecca was called to pick her up.

"Are you her mother?" A cop said.

"Not exactly."

"Than what exactly?"

"I'm her social worker. She's a runner. I was trying to find her."

"Okay, we have William in custody, and her statement. You're good to go."

"Thanks." Rebecca said driving off with Charlie softly crying in the passenger seat as they wheeled Angela's body out of the house.

"Wanna tell me what happened?" Rebecca asked, but moreso demanded.

"No."

"Please? I can help."

"No."

"Charlie. It's just us. Nothing you say is going to leave this car."

"Will killed Angela because she was taking too long to get dressed and leave, because he wanted me. Another fucking thing that's my fault. But this time, it cost a life."

"So, you went to him for sex?"

"That's all you got out of that?"

"No, I'm just putting it all together for the file. Look, it's not your fault. It's not Angela's fault either. It's Will's. All this is Will's fault."

"She had a baby."

"How old is she?"

"I think last time we talked she had said she was thirteen. The baby was a few months old then, but that was awhile back."

"How long back?"

Charlie shrugged.

"Were you friends?"

"Not really. But we'd talk occasionally."

"I'm not going to pretend to know how you feel. Because I can't fathom it. But, there are people out there who do know, and who can help."

"Like who?"

Rebecca pulled into a driveway, there was a young woman on a bench outside.

"I said no." Charlie said.

"After tonight's events, you no longer have a choice, come on."

Charlie folded her arms in the seat. "I'm not going into a foster home."

Rebecca motioned for the woman sitting on the bench to come to the car, she looked to be early-mid twenties.

"What's the problem?" The woman asked, as Charlie glared at her.

"Charlie here thinks I've put her in another abusive household."

"Another?" The woman asked.

"I'll let you see the file later."

The woman nodded. "Charlie, what are you most afraid of?"

Charlie thought for a moment, began to respond, but didn't.

"You can speak freely here." The woman said. "and I don't report what you said to anyone."

"Not amounting to anything. Only being used for sex the rest of my life, my baby being taken from me."

"Well," the woman said. "What can I do to make it a little bit better?"

"Not stick me in there."

"Charlie." Rebecca said. "Casey is the best foster parent I know. There are four other girls living with her. Don't you think if she was going to treat you like Victor, they'd have figured out by now?"

"Took you 3 years to figure it out. I'm not going to any house Mrs. Layne found."

"Why not?" Casey asked.

"Lindsay put her with Victor, knowing his record. I'm working on that." Rebecca said.

"I see. You know, I have an idea." Casey said, "Hold on a moment." Casey walked back into the house, and brought back out with her a teenage girl, about Charlie's age, who was carrying a toddler.

"Is that her baby?" Charlie asked Rebecca.

"No. Orphaned baby." Rebecca responded. "I forgot about her. But it's still all girls."

The teenager knelt down beside Charlie, the toddler began drawing in the dirt, until Casey picked her up, and tried to brush her off.

"You know what?" She asked Charlie.

"What?"

"My Dad never liked me much either."

"Really, why not?"

"I don't know. But; I figure, it's his loss. Because I have an awesome family here with Casey. We'd love for you to join the family."

"I've never been part of a family, can my baby join too?"

"Of course." The girl said. "My name is Alex, what's your's?"

"Charlie. Your Dad wanted a boy too?"

"Something like that."

"I can't go in." Charlie said.

"That's okay. I'll tell ya what, why don't the two of us go sit on that bench right there so that Rebecca can go home, and we just wait until you can go in?" Alex offered.

"Okay." Charlie said, still unsure.

"I'll be around for a bit." Rebecca said. "I need to talk to Casey."

Casey and Rebecca walked inside the house, as Charlie and Alex sat on the porch.

"She's been to more than one crappy household I take it?" Casey asked once she was sure the girls were out of earshot.

"Several. All picked by Lindsay. I think her issue here isn't you, it's that Lindsay picked this house."

"I see. What are you doing about it?"

"I have a meeting with my boss and Lindsay tomorrow regarding it."

Casey nodded. "Can I see her file?"

"Sure." Rebecca gave Casey a small folder, but it was crammed with papers.

"2nd grade reading and writing level, better than I expected, actually. Does her back really look like this?"

"Yes."

"I'm surprised she isn't dead."

"So is everyone else."

"So, is she a runner?"

"I think she might be at first, but I think once she realizes you're different, she'll stay."

"Fair enough, I had that problem with Alex. So, she's pregnant?"

Rebecca nodded. "The father's name is Jake, but he wants nothing to do with her, according to Charlie, so I don't think he'll be coming around."

"Any other…..men….I should know about?"

"I know of two others, but they're both in prison."

"Do you think she'll go find someone?"

"At first, probably. However, I'm going to give her my phone number and address, hopefully…if she gets scared or whatever, she'll come to me. She won't admit it, but I think she trusts me."

"That's a long way for a pregnant person to walk."

"She made it from the school to Lincoln on foot before I drove there. The kid can run."

Casey nodded, slightly impressed. "That it?"

"I think so. "When Charlie asked Alex if her father wanted a boy, she responded 'something like that' what did she mean?"

"Alex is in the system because her father decided that girls were unclean, according to _whatever_ religion he believes in, so if Alex wasn't going to have…ya know….male parts….she wasn't going to have female parts either."

"I don't understand?"

"Alex's dad stabbed her in the crotch trying to 'get rid' of her…ya know….female parts." Casey said. "The only reason we found out is because she stapled the wounds herself, and they broke loose in school. No girl gets a period in first grade."

"Yikes, is she okay, down there?"

"She had some major reconstructive surgery, but yeah. The idea of never being able to carry children bothers her, that's why she's always holding onto Christine."

"She stapled herself?"

"Apparently." Casey said sighing. A girl walked by holding a blankie, the girl began to cry. "Hold on. Erica, what's wrong?"

"You're making me move houses because I broke that lamp!" She said now bawling.

Casey couldn't help but smile. "No, Rebecca is just a friend of mine. She's bringing another friend for you to play with."

"Really?" Erica said wiping her eyes. "Your not mad about the lamp?"

"Well, I didn't know you broke a lamp. Which one?"

"Ummm…never mind, I got confused. I didn't break a lamp." The four year old said running away.

"Why is she here?"

"Orphaned. Her parents died in a fire about a year ago. She was with a neighbor when it happened, but it was an elderly lady, and both sets of grandparents are deceased."

"Sorry. I take it she's moved around a lot?"

"She has autism. As sad as it is, a lot of foster parents don't want to deal with special needs. I'm her fourth house in six months."

"And that is why I prefer to teach."

"What are you going to do about Lindsay?"

"I don't know. She'll play dumb, for sure."

"Do you need help?"

"Not yet." Rebecca said. "But I do need to get going." She wrote down her number and address on a blank sheet of paper sitting nearby and walked out the door, she found Charlie and Alex sitting quietly.

"Alex, I think Casey needs help putting Christine to bed."

"It's six thirty." Alex said.

"Okay, that was too subtle, go inside for a bit?"

"Sure."

Rebecca sat down next to Charlie who stared at her. "You're leaving aren't you?"

Rebecca nodded. "I'll be around." She handed Charlie the slip of paper. "Here, if you get scared, or whatever, call me, I've already told Casey, she says it's fine."

"But I can't stay with you?"

"No, but we'll work something out if you need me. Okay?"

Charlie nodded, and glanced at the open door.

"You can go in."

"No."


	15. Chapter 15

"Okay." Rebecca grabbed her hand, and the two sat on the porch, quietly.

A few hours later, Charlie began to slowly walk up to the door. She stopped at the edge, and slowly put one foot in the door, and then another.

She smiled at Rebecca who hugged her. "I'll come by this weekend and check on you, okay?"

Charlie nodded. Casey ushered her into the living room. "Okay, here's what's going to happen. I'm working on moving Courtney into the basement, but until I'm done with that. You'll have to share a room with her."

"Mom!" Alex said. "Don't make her room with Courtney!"

"Yeah!" Erica agreed.

"And I'm sure if Max was here, she'd agree too!" Alex said.

"Look, Courtney's room is the biggest, it'll have to work for a few days."

"I'll room with Courtney, Charlie can have my bed."

"No, I need it like this. Come on Charlie, I'll show you your room."

Charlie walked into a room with a girl dressed in all black, the walls were a dark blue, and there were pictures of heavy metal bands and medieval weapons on them.

"Sorry about the décor." Casey said. "Courtney, this is Charlie. She's gonna room with you until I can get the basement fixed."

"What you do to get stuck in this hell hole?"

Charlie just looked at her.

"Great, another fuckin retarded one."

"Courtney! You will not speak about Erica that way."

"She's my sister, I'll talk about her how I want."

"Not in my house, you won't." Casey said. "Charlie. I'm sorry. Courtney here, is well-"

"Casey thinks I'm crazy because I won't conform to society like the monkey she is."

"I never said that."

"You don't have to, bitch."

"Courtney! Don't talk to mom that way!" Alex said walking by the room.

"Or what?"

"Or you'll taste my fuckin fist!"

"Girls. No one is going to be hitting anyone. Charlie, it'll be two days, tops."

"Again, I'll room with Courtney." Alex said.

"I'm not rooming with you." Courtney said.

"GIRLS!" Casey yelled. "Charlie is staying in here. Alex in her room. That's final."

"When Max gets back she's gonna blow you up." Alex said.

"Oh, I'm so scared. When Max gets back she can bite my ass." Courtney said.

"GIRLS! What sort of impression is this giving Charlie?"

"Oh, were we supposed to play happy family? Sorry, missed the memo. Casey is a great mom, and you'll love it here." Courtney said sarcastically.

"Courtney, enough." Casey said. "I understand you have issues to resolve, but do not take them out on Charlie, got it?"

"Yes sir." She said doing a mock salute

Casey rolled her eyes, and left the room; followed by Alex. After a few seconds, a man peered out from the closet door. Courtney ran and shut the door.

"She's gone." She said smiling to the man.

He looked at Rebecca. "Hey, I know you."

Rebecca smiled.

"Babe, can I fuck her?"

"Does she want it?"

"I don't care. I do."

"Why would I care what you do with your penis? we're fuck buddies, it's not like we're in a relationship."

He looked at Charlie. "Let's do it like we did at Victor's? Hm?"

Charlie stayed quiet.

"Good, you finally learned your lesson." He said smacking her across the face. He slowly removed her shirt and bra, fondled her breasts, and then slowly pulled off her pants and underwear.

"I'll be in the other room." Courtney said leaving.

"You're better than last time, for sure." He said kissing her chest.

He began to fondle her body with his tongue. He flipped her over onto her back, and began to smack her backside with his hand, and then fondled it. He then flipped her back over, and began to kiss her chest again.

"Charlie, dinner will be - MOM!" Alex yelled from the doorway.

Casey ran up to the door, gasped, put her hands over her mouth, and a moment later, screamed. "PETER! GET THE FUCK OFF OF HER!"

Peter jumped off of her, and quickly put his clothes on. "Sorry, I couldn't resist, I've done this bitch before."

"GET THE FUCK OUT OF MY HOUSE! IF I EVER CATCH YOU IN THE SAME ATMOSPHERE AS ANY OF MY GIRLS, AND THAT INCLUDES COURTNEY, I'LL HAVE MAX FIND YOU".

"Is she the hot one?" He asked sarcastically.

"NOW!" Casey yelled.

Peter ran out of the house, catching a glimpse from Courtney. "Dumbass" she said.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah. See ya tomorrow."

"Maybe." She said.

"Alex, you, Erica, and Courtney go start eating. Charlie and I will be there in a minute."

"Erica isn't going to be able to handle that big of a change after all that yelling. We eat at five, all of us."

"Tell her we'll eat at six."

"We eat at five."

"True. Okay. Be there in a minute."

"It's 5:02, and we're not eating."

Casey sighed. "Yeah."

"Mom! She's doing that retarded thing!" Courtney called.

"Charlie, finish getting dressed. I have to go take care of Erica. Come down when you're ready. You and I will talk after, okay?"

"I'm not hungry."

"Please?"

Charlie nodded. "Okay."

Casey found Erica crying in her chair, food had been thrown everywhere. "Erica, honey." Casey said embracing her. "You're safe. It's okay. Ssshhh Ssshhh. Breathe."

"But we eat at five and people weren't eating, but we always eat at five, always!"

"I know, I know, I know. But Mom had to help Charlie. Okay?"

"But we always eat at five!"

"Alex, get me her medicine." Casey said. "Erica, Alex is gonna get you your medicine, okay?"

"But we always eat at five!"

Alex returned with a shot, and with a pill. "Wasn't sure what would work better."

"In this case, the shot." Casey took the needle, and shot it into Erica's thigh. She slowly fell asleep, but woke up a few minutes later.

"Mommy?" Erica asked.

Casey smiled. "Yes?"

"I'm hungry."

"Me too. Let's eat, hm?"

The table was awkwardly quiet throughout dinner, except once when Erica talked about a cow she saw while running errands with Casey earlier that day.

"Courtney, will you and Alex clean up?"

Alex nodded. Courtney rolled her eyes.

"Thanks. Charlie, will you come with me?"

Charlie got up and followed Casey into the Casey's bedroom.

Casey sat on the bed, Charlie sat on a chair at a dresser and waited for Casey to speak. Casey looked at Charlie for a moment and then spoke.

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"Talk about what?"

"What happened earlier."

"What happened earlier?" Rebecca asked.

"Sweetheart, you don't have to play stupid."

"I'm not."

"The thing with Peter."

"Oh. That. Not really."

"I take it you know him?"

"Yeah, he was on of Victor's men that would come over from time to time."

"Got it. Was it your idea or his?"

"His. He was in the closet when you were showing me Courtney's room. He came out when you left to, I assume….-"

"I get it. You know, it's your body, you have a say as to what happens to it."

"That doesn't sound right." Charlie said sighing.

Soon, there were footsteps in the hallway, and the sound of a very heavy backpack hit the floor.

"Hold on, I want you to meet Max."

Casey appeared with a woman that looked to be in her early twenties.

"Are you guys…?"

"Oh no." Casey said. "Max is a foster kid."

"But she's too old."

"As long as you stay in school, you can stay in the system. Granted, the parents still want you."

"Of course we want you." Casey said. "After all, you do keep Courtney in line." She said with a smile.

"I see we have another?" Max said.

"This is Charlie." Casey said. "I'm hoping you two can be good friends, I feel like you two could help each other out quite a lot."

"Mom, I only came home for a sec to check on Courtney, I'm headed back to the library."

"Max is working on her Masters degree, is your paper not done yet?"

"Oh God no, I've only got 12 sources so far."

"Is that not a lot?" Charlie asked.

"Not when you're a Masters student looking to graduate in the fall, I could use about 10 more. Want to come help?"

"Max, best go alone." Casey said.

"Everything okay?"

"She had a run-in with Peter."

"Wait." Max said pausing, thinking. "Charlie Kline?"

"Yeah."

Max nodded. "No wonder why he wanted you, instead of his little fuck buddy."

Charlie shrugged.

"I'm going to have to have to word with Courtney on that one."

"She's also calling Erica retarded again."

"Of course she is. Did Erica have a fit today?"

"Only briefly, but I had to use the shot."

"Alright, I've got another in my purse, I'll leave it here for you and then I'll have another one made tomorrow." Max said walking off.

"Max, Courtney, and Erica are sisters."

"That's nice they got to stay together."

"Yeah, doesn't happen very often."

"No." Charlie said softly.

"Were you separated from yours?"

"Yes."

"Sorry." Casey said. "Now, back on subject. Why do you not have a say about your body?"

"I haven't had a say in over a decade, why should tonight be different?"

"Are you not a different situation?"

"It's never a different situation when you're in the system. Max automatically knew me when you mentioned Peter, because Peter wants sex, and that's what I'm known for."

"Maybe, but so was Max. She's changing that."

"She was?"

Casey nodded.


	16. Chapter 16

"I can't change anything."

"Why not?"

"Just can't."

"Can't never could."

Charlie shrugged. "Are we done?"

"For now, when is your baby due?"

Charlie shrugged and laid down on the bed.

Max was standing over Courtney in the living room. She picked up Christine who was crawling over to her.

"Hey cutie." She said kissing Christine on the cheek. "Alex!" Max called.

"Yeah?" Alex called from the other room.

"Can you come grab Christine, I need to yell at Courtney."

Alex came in a few seconds later and took Christine from Max. "Can you help me with some homework later?"

"Depends on how long I yell and how long I spend at the library. If nothing else I can help you in the morning."

Alex nodded, walking off with Christine tugging on her hair.

Max took a deep breath. "WHAT THE HELL?" She yelled.

Courtney just smiled. "Whatever are you talking about?"

"You know, despite what Mom did to us, I'm not above smacking your teeth across the room. Why the hell was Peter in the house?"

"I let him in."

"Obviously. I'm guessing you weren't gonna study?"

"Hell no."

"Did you have sex?"

"Nope." Courtney smiled. "But Charlie did."

"I gathered that. What is your problem?"

"I don't have a problem."

"Oh, you have a lot of problems."

"Nope."

"COURTNEY! YOUR BOYFRIEND IS NOT ALLOWED IN THIS HOUSE AND YOU DELEBIRATELY DISOBEYED ME!"

"You're not my mom. You can't tell me who isn't allowed here."

"No, but because Mom isn't around anymore I am in charge."

"MOM IS COMING BACK!" Courtney yelled.

Max was taken aback by the statement. "Do you really think that?"

"I know that. MOM LOVES ME, EVEN IF SHE DOESN'T LOVE YOU AND ERICA! SHE'S COMING BACK FOR ME!"

Max embraced her sister. Amongst the tears she said. "Sweetheart, you need to accept the fact that Mom isn't coming back. We live with Casey now."

"Casey doesn't love us."

"And Mom does?"

Courtney sat silently.

"Exactly. At least Casey feeds us, Casey as never beaten us to a pulp out of a drunken rage….you get the point.

Courtney laid her head on Max's lap. "I'm sorry."

"I'm not the one you need to be saying sorry to."

"Casey?"

"Yes, and Charlie."


	17. Chapter 17

During the commotion Charlie snuck out the window and headed to where Peter lived. She got there a few minutes later and rang the doorbell.

Peter answered the door, shirtless, and slightly drunk. "I take it you want more."

"If it'll get me out of that stupid foster home. Sure."

Peter thought for a moment. "It seemed okay to me."

"No."

"Why not?"

"Just no. Can I sleep on the couch?"

"If you let me smack you around like a rag doll first."

Charlie nodded.

Courtney walked into the bedroom, to find Charlie not there and the window open.

"Casey!" She yelled.

Casey ran into the room, and sighed as she saw the empty room. "Okay, let me call Rebecca."

"Is Charlie with you? - She's not, are you sure? - Great, she ran away. - Yeah, that would be good. Thanks" Casey looked at Courtney. "Do you know where she might have went?"

Courtney shrugged. "I don't know who she hangs out with."

Alex walked into the room carrying Christine. "She might have gone to Peter, I think I overheard that they knew each other prior to tonight. That might mean she knows where he lives, maybe."

"Yeah, we'll start there. But I need to wait until Rebecca gets here."

"We don't need a babysitter." Courtney said.

"No, I need her to go with me. I don't think Charlie trusts me yet."

Max came into the room. "I know where he lives. I'll go."

"How do you know where he lives?" Casey asked.

Max didn't respond.

"Right. Okay. Do you want to wait on Rebecca?"

"No. I'll be okay."

Max left the room followed by Alex, Courtney stood with her head hung.

Casey walked over to her and put a hand on her shoulder.

"What's up?"

"I'm sorry."

"For what?"

"It's my fault she left."

Casey sat on the bed. "Hey, come here."

Courtney sat next to her and put her head in her hands.

"Look, you were your normal self. Charlie is a runner, just like you were. She was going to run away anyway. She might not have run to Peter, but she would have ran."

"Yeah, but I had to bring Peter over!"

"I think that was a bad move on your part, yes. But you did. We'll deal with it. Okay?"

Courtney nodded.

"Hey, I heard you and Max arguing a bit ago. I need you to know something."

"What?"

"I know what your Mom did to you was awful. I'm not going to pretend I know how you feel, because I don't. But, I'm not trying to replace her, I know you still love her. I'm trying to keep you safe until you're able to go back to her."

"When will that be?"

"Do you want the truth?"

Courtney nodded.

"Probably never."

Courtney began to sob. "I don't understand!"

"Don't understand what?"

"What I did to make her do those things to me."

"You didn't do anything!" Casey said. "If anything, you did the right thing by telling someone what was going on even though Max told you not to."

"But now Erica doesn't have a mom."

"But would you want her to go through what you did?"

"No. Especially not with her condition."

"Okay. If you want, I'll take the 3 of you up to the prison to see your mom this weekend if you want."

"I'll see what Max wants to do. I don't want to go without her."

Casey nodded and kissed Courtney on the head. "You're okay kid."

Max pulled up to Peter's house, and knocked on the door. Peter answered it, still shirtless and more drunk than when Charlie came over.

"Where is Charlie?"

"Who?"

"Cut the crap, you asshole. Where is she?"

"On the couch. Sleeping. I smacked her around quite a bit, it made her tired." She said with a smile.

Max shoved past Peter and found Charlie with a bruised face, and a naked, bruised body. "Honey, I'm going to help you. But you need to trust me. Okay?"

Charlie nodded. Max grabbed a nearby baseball bat, slowly stood up, and used Peter's head as a ball. He went flying across the room, unconscious, the bat split in two. Max called for an ambulance, and patiently waited.


	18. Chapter 18

A few minutes later the police and ambulance came to the house.

"What happened here?" A cop asked Max, who didn't respond.

"Are you deaf?" He asked. Max still didn't respond.

The cop sighed. "You're Max Downs aren't you?"

Max nodded.

"I'm not going to hurt you, but you're hurting your friend by not talking to me."

"Charlie is a runner. She came to Peter because she thinks sex will fix her life. Keep in mind, she's about 2 months pregnant, not by Peter. Peter threw her around like a rag doll, and I smacked him with a baseball bat. The end."

"Okay, the paramedics are on their way. Where are your parents?"

"I don't know. Nor do I care."

"Where are your foster parents?"

"Parent. And I don't know."

"Can you call her?"

Max nodded, and pulled out her cell phone. Within minutes, both Casey and Rebecca were at the house.

"Max, what happened?"

"Ma'am." The police officer said. "Why don't the three of you drive to the hospital, follow the ambulance, we really need to get Charlie to a hospital."

Casey and Rebecca noticed that Charlie was lying on the couch, still unclothed. "Why doesn't she have clothes?" Casey asked.

One cop eyed Max. "Max, right?"

"Yeah, what's up?"

"Can I talk to you alone?"

"Why?"

"I need to get your statement again."

"Why?"

"Just do."

"Can't you get it here?"

"Nope. It's better to get it alone."

"Max, you're wasting time. Go!" Casey yelled.

Max sighed and stepped into the kitchen with the cop.

"What?" Max asked.

"How much money do I have to give you to fuck you up?" The cop said taking a swig of booze on the counter.

"Steve, you know I don't do that anymore!"

"I don't care."

Max sighed. "It's not going to happen. Not now, not ever. Again."

"You're going to end up just like Charlie, and you know it. So, let's expedite the process!"

"I hope I end up like Charlie. I hope I'm half as strong as she is. She may have made a few bad choices, but everyone does. Especially someone in her position. So, back the fuck off!"

"No." Steve said. Leaning in to kiss her neck.

Max ran into the other room. Trying to hide her tears.

"Max, what's wrong?" Casey asked.

"Just worried." She said.

"Paramedics said she'll be fine." Rebecca said.

"Yeah," Steve said. "Why don't we all go over there now, the paramedics are ready."

"Rebecca, let's go pick up the other kids. I don't have a babysitter." Casey nodded.

Max, Casey, and Rebecca sat in the car headed to the house.

"Max?" Casey asked.

"Hm?"

"I take it you know Steve?"

Max didn't reply.

"Max, answer the question." Rebecca said.

Max still didn't reply.

"Max?" Rebecca asked.

Max still didn't reply.

Casey arrived at the house, "Rebecca, I'm going to get the kids in the van, more room. Max, I want you to go with Rebecca, it's a long drive to the hospital."

Max still didn't reply, but stayed sitting.

Rebecca took the driver's seat, and looked at Max. "Hey, it's just us. Let's talk?"

"Nope."

"Why not?"

"It doesn't matter. Charlie is going to be fine."

"Eventually, but this isn't about Charlie, is it?"

"Nope."

"Then what?"

"Nothing."

"Max, what's wrong?"

"NOTHING! LEAVE ME THE FUCK ALONE!" Max yelled.

"Good, you talk when you're angry."

Max sighed. "Can we just fucking focus on the fucking problem at hand?"

"Until we get the hospital, you are the problem at hand." Rebecca said pulling out of the driveway, once she saw that Casey had the kids settled.

"Nope. I'd rather focus on Charlie."

Rebecca and Max silently rode to the hospital, Max tried to hold back the tears.

"Max, it's okay to cry."

"No."

"Okay. Come on, we're here." Rebecca said pulling the car into a parking spot, next to Casey's van.

They arrived in the emergency room, Charlie was in critical condition. Everyone was on edge, but Max and Alex seemed more on edge than everyone else.

"Do you want Max or Alex?" Casey asked.

"Let's see if they help each other first." Rebecca said.

Max sat next to Alex, Alex laid her head down on Max's lap.

"There's no escaping our past is there?" She asked, to no one in specific.

"My mom was supposed to visit today." Alex responded.

"It's like, every time I think I'm ahead, and nobody remembers my past, I get reminded of it. Usually by cops, as ironic as that is." Max said.

"It's just one fucking hour a week. What does she possibly have to do that she can't do every other day?" Alex asked. "Oh wait, not raise me."

"Sometimes I feel like I should just go back to them. I mean, at least they love me." Max said.

"Why doesn't she love me?" Alex asked.


	19. Chapter 19

The doctor slowly walked out the room where Charlie was.

"She's awake. But she's tired. So, only one person at a time. Can I speak to her mother alone?"

"I'm her foster mother." Casey said.

"I'm her social worker." Rebecca said.

"Okay, can I speak to you both please?"

Casey and Rebecca walked into a small room with couches used to console grieving families.

"The baby didn't make it." The doctor said solemnly. "She lost too much blood in between the beating and when Max found her."

"Does she know?"

"No. I thought it should come from someone she knows."

Casey nodded. "Thanks Doctor, when will she get to go home."

"I'm not sure. Couple days." He said. "He really messed her up."

"How is he?" Casey asked.

"Actually, dead. When Max hit him with the baseball bat, it splintered and ruptured his temple."

"Does she know?"

"Not yet."

"Thanks." Casey said stepping out of the room. Rebecca slowly followed.

"What's up?" Rebecca asked.

"I don't know."

"What do you mean?"

"I just mean. I wish sometimes, there was a man around. Especially for Erica."

"I don't think that's relevant right now."

"It is. Because then I wouldn't have to do this alone."

Rebecca grabbed Casey's hand. "Let's go talk to Rebecca, and then Max."

"What about Alex?"

"If you want."

"Sometimes I wonder how many decent parents are still out there."

"At least one."

"Thanks." Casey said. "Let's go."

Casey and Rebecca walked into the room where Charlie was.

"Hi." Charlie said.

"Hey. Can the three of us talk?" Casey asked.

"Sure."

"What happened?" Rebecca asked.

"The cops told you what happened."

"But you didn't."

"Rebecca, no offense, but do you think I could talk to Casey alone?"

Rebecca nodded and stepped out of the room.

"What happened?" Casey asked.

"I didn't mean for it to happen." She said softly.

"I know. But why don't you tell me what happened."

"I didn't want sex. But you don't say no to Peter."

"If you didn't want sex, why did you go?"

Charlie looked away, and pretended to fall asleep. "These drugs are kicking in. Can we talk later?"

"You're not on those kind of drugs."

Charlie looked at Casey, but didn't respond.

"Charlie? I can't help unless you talk to me."

"I just needed to know you would come find me if I ran away."

Casey tried to hold back the tears. "Of course I would, and I always will."

"None of my other houses have."

"I know. I'm sorry. I need to tell you something."

"Okay."

"Your baby didn't make it."

"Why not?"

"You bled too much."

Charlie laid silently.

"What are you thinking?"

"Thinking I wasn't going to make a very good mother anyway."

"One day, you will."

"No."

"Charlie, it's okay. We will get through this. Together."

"You don't know how I feel."

"I don't."

"Then how can you possibly think that we'll get through this together?"

"Because we have each other."

"So what?"

"I understand. I don't know when you'll get to go home. Peter messed you up pretty badly."

"This is nothing."

Casey stepped out of the room, Rebecca was standing by the door. Casey fell into Rebecca's shoulder. "I can't do this."

"Let's go talk to Max, hm?" Rebecca asked.

Rebecca and Casey took Max into the small room where they met the doctor a few moments ago.

"Peter is dead." Rebecca said.

Max thought for a moment. "Good. Fucking. Riddance."

"You killed him." Casey said.

"Good. Fucking. Riddance."

"You're not even upset?" Casey asked.

"Nope. Not one fucking bit."


	20. Chapter 20

A few days later, Charlie arrived back at home, still bruised and emotionally broken. She laid on her bed and stared at the ceiling.

Max walked into her room, and sat at the end of the bed.

"Hi." Max said softly.

"Hi."

"I just wanted to check on you."

"I'm fine."

"Charlie, I've been in your shoes."

"No you haven't."

"I've been a prostitute before."

"No, I wasn't a prostitute. Why don't people understand that I had sex to avoid paying rent?"

"I didn't get paid either. If I didn't have sex with my father's friends, they beat me."

Charlie nodded.

Almost on queue there was a knock on the door.

"I'll get it." Charlie said leaving her room.

Charlie went to the door, opened it, and saw it was Victor.

"Hey, bitch." He said.

"Aren't you supposed to be in prison?"

"I pled guilty, did two weeks, and got out. Nobody cares if you beat on a whore. Whyatt's in the truck, let's go."

"No. I like it here." Charlie said.

Victor smacked her across the face. "Whore, you had better get into that truck, right now."

"Make me."

Victor grabbed her hair, and began to drag her out of the house.

"CASEY! HELP! CASEY!" She yelled.

Casey came running into the room, and saw Victor and Charlie struggling.

Casey immediately called the police.

They arrived on the scene a few seconds later. They separated Victor and Charlie.

Lindsay arrived on the scene. Rebecca followed shortly after.

"Lindsay, why are you here?" Rebecca asked.

"Greg Waters decided if you can't keep Charlie safe, I can."

"How did you get a hold of Greg Waters, I've been trying to get a hold of him for weeks about you."

"He's my uncle, so good luck with that."

"Of course he is. I'm not leaving Charlie."

"Yes you are." A cop said. "You're no longer assigned to her."

Rebecca thought for a moment. "Fine, I'm no longer assigned to her. But this is Casey's house, and only she can make me leave her house."

"I want Rebecca here." Casey said.

"Fine. But Charlie is going with Victor." The cop said.

Rebecca and Casey were taken aback.

"Really?"

"Yeah." The cop said. "He pleaded guilty, being a minor, she has no choice."

"Lindsay, fix this!" Rebecca said.

"I don't see the problem with her going to Victor."

"Of course you don't. Because you get paid either way."

"Yep."

"You. Bitch." Rebecca said.

"Okay." Lindsay said.

Charlie ran across the yard to Rebecca. "Don't let him take me!" She said squeezing Rebecca around the middle.

Rebecca kissed Charlie on top of head. "Hey, I'm going to get my lawyer friend on it. I won't let anything happen to you, and neither will Casey."

"That's fine." The cop said. "But it's Friday night. Do you really expect a lawyer to help you until Monday? She goes with Victor until then."

"Aren't you supposed to help people?"

"Prostitutes aren't people." The cop said. The other cop nodded in agreement.

Rebecca sighed. "God, I fucking hate you people. Charlie, I know this sucks."

"No!" Charlie said sobbing into Rebecca's shirt. "I won't go!"

Lindsay broke them apart. "You don't have a choice." Lindsay shoved her at Victor. Victor grabbed her by the hair and shoved her into the truck.

They arrived home. Victor grabbed her by the hair, and threw her onto the floor.

He stared at her intently. "Take the clothes off."

"No." Charlie said.

"Whyatt?" He asked.

"Yeah?"

"Bring me the whip."

"Which one?"

"I don't care. I'm gonna cut this bitch up."

Whyatt returned a minute later with two whips. "Can I help?"

"Anytime." He said smiling. "Now, Charlie…take off the fucking clothes."

"No."

He smacked the whip on the ground beside Charlie's face. "Wanna test me you whore?"

"I want to go home."

"Tough shit. GET THOSE FUCKING CLOTHES OFF!"

Charlie began to cry.

"Oh, God. Not this shit again." He pulled Charlie up by her hair, threw her against the wall, and began to take her clothes off. Once she was undressed he threw her onto the floor. "Get on all floors."

"No." Charlie said.

Victor kicked her in the stomach. "Now! You will submit. Even if I have to kill you."

Charlie got on all fours. The sting of the whip was not a new feeling to her. She winced when it came down on her skin, but she did not cry.

Eventually, when she was laying on the floor, covered in lashes, they finally stopped.

"Victor, I gotta head home. I told my Mom I was going to the library. The library closed five minutes ago."

Victor nodded, Whyatt kicked Charlie in the stomach on his way out the door.

"Now, this house became a mess while you were gone. Clean it."

"No." Charlie said softly.

"Roll over." He said kicking her. She did as she was told, and Victor smacked her with the whip across the stomach.

"Clean it." He said.

"No."

He smacked her across the chest. "Clean the fucking house!"

"No."

Charlie received another longer, beating. With punches and kicks included. Finally, Victor stopped. He left her laying on the floor.

"I'm going to bed. If this house isn't clean when I wake up. You'll wish you were in hell. Hell will be easier than what I have planned for you."

"This is hell." Charlie said.

"Oh, this is only the beginning. Get to work." He said kicking her in the stomach one more time, and walking off.

Charlie laid on the floor for a few hours until she heard Victor snoring. She noticed he had carelessly thrown her clothes in the corner of the room. She crawled over to them, tried her best to put them on. She winced in pain with every move. Once she had them on, she mustered all of her energy to leave the house. It took half of the minimal energy she had left to just turn the doorknob. She slowly walked to Casey's house.

Casey's house was across town, about three miles. She had left Victor's around 10pm and she arrived at Casey's at 2am. She gently knocked on the door. Luckily, Rebecca was there. It looked as if she had been crying.

Charlie collapsed onto the porch. Breathing heavily.

"CASEY!" Rebecca yelled. Gently lifting Charlie into the house.

Casey ran down the stairs with Courtney in her arms. She noticed Charlie and began to cry. Rebecca's scream had alerted the other kids, Max, Alex, Courtney, and Erica followed Casey.

Charlie laid on the couch, as Max dressed her wounds. Charlie faded in and out of consciousness.

"Rebecca?" Casey asked.

"Hm?"

"You need to take her."

"Why?"

"Because the first place the cops are going to look once Victor finds out she's missing is here."

"And the second place is my house."

"Yes. But wasn't your house a refugee house for slaves?"

"Yeah?"

"Does the floor still open to hide them?"

"Yes. But it's filled with asbestos. I'm still working on getting it out. It won't work."

"Okay. We can't take her to a hospital, what do we do with her?"

"I don't know." Rebecca said.

"Casey?" Charlie asked.

"Yeah?" She said kneeling down to Charlie's eye level.

"I thought you said you'd find me."

Casey began to cry. "I was going to."

"On Monday. If I didn't run away, I would be dead."

"No sweetheart, I was going to find you as soon as I thought Victor would be asleep."

Charlie nodded. "I'm sorry. I just can't escape that life."

"Hey. Nothing is your fault. Okay?"

Charlie nodded, and drifted out of consciousness.

"Mom, what are we going to do?" Max asked, still dressing her wounds. "I don't think these are going to hold."

"Make it work. Maybe tomorrow we can drive her out of state and take her to a hospital."

"I don't know if she'll live until tomorrow with the rate she's bleeding."

"Still?"

"Yeah. He fucked her up."

"God, isn't there one good guy left?" Rebecca asked.

"Rebecca, can you stay with the girls, while I take her over the state lines?"

"Mom, this is my fault. I'm not staying here." Courtney said.

"Neither am I." Max said.

"Neither am I." Alex said. "and where I go, Erica and Christine go."

"Sure." Rebecca said with a smile.

Casey sighed. "Okay, Rebecca, will you take her in your car so that she can lay in the backseat, I'll take everyone else in the van."

Rebecca nodded. "Max, can you please help me carry her?"

Max nodded and grabbed Charlie from under the arms.

About an hour later, they arrived in the emergency room. The doctors immediately put her in the intensive car unit. Everyone waited in the waiting room. Courtney sat in the corner chair, alone.

"Rebecca, will you talk to Courtney?" Casey asked.

Rebecca nodded and walked over to Courtney.

"Hey." Rebecca said.

"Hi." Courtney said wiping her eyes.

"Why don't we go get some ice cream?"

"Why?"

"I wanna talk, but I don't think here is a very good place."

"I don't want to leave. What is Charlie needs me?"

Rebecca nodded. "Okay, want to sit outside?"

"No."

"Okay, I just thought it might be more private."

"It doesn't matter."

Rebecca nodded. "You know what?"

"What?"

"You don't need all the walls up. Crying is okay. Especially with what's going on right now."

"Why aren't you crying then?"

"I have been. And I'm sure I will again."

Courtney nodded. "If I put up walls. No one hurts me."

"But you're still hurt, aren't you?"

"Yeah, but in a different way."

"How so?"

"It's gonna sound selfish."

"I won't judge."

"I'm mad that Peter said he would have sex with me but he wanted Charlie instead. I'm not happy she was hurt by him. But, it hurts."

Rebecca nodded. "I get it. I'm sure you'll find a man that loves you for you, and not your body."

"Not likely."

"Why not?"

"I know me."

"So do I."

"It's all my fault she was beaten up by Victor."

"Did you call Victor?"

"No. Of course not."

"Then how is it your fault?"

"Because. If she hadn't been beaten up by Peter, maybe she could have fought him off. Peter wore her out."

"I think the only thing you did wrong was trying to fix what your mother did to you with sex."

"You don't know what my mother did to me."

"I know some of it."

"Like what?"

"That she let your stepfather rape you, repeatedly and that Christine isn't an orphan, in fact, she lives with her Mom."

Courtney nodded. "How did you know?"

"I'm your social worker, Casey has to tell me everything that applies to you."

"Yeah, I hate it."

"Having a daughter?"

"No. I love Christine."

"Then what?"

"Being sixteen and having a child. Who is also my step-sister."

"She doesn't have to know that."

"She'll figure it out eventually."

"Not necessarily."

"Look, can we stop?"

Rebecca nodded, and silently held Courtney's hand.

The doctor came out a few moments later. "She's going to be okay." He said. "But, all she'll want to do for about a week is sleep. You need to let her."

Casey and Rebecca nodded. "When will she get to come home?" Casey asked.

"You can take her home now." The doctor said. "There isn't anything we can do."

They arrived home. Charlie laid on the couch, wincing from time to time.

"Mom?" Max asked.

"Yeah?" Casey asked.

"What are we going to do when he and Lindsay realize that she's gone?"

Casey shrugged. "Not let her go this time. I'm going to sleep in the chair here. Rebecca, you can stay if you want. Everyone else go to bed."

"I'll stick around." Rebecca said.

Casey nodded and walked off.

The next day, Rebecca walked into Charlie's room, who was sleeping.

"Hey Charlie?"

"Hm?" She moaned, wincing.

"I know this sucks. But you have to go with me to school today. I've cleared it for you to sleep in the nurses office all day. It's just the kids are going to school, Casey is going to work, someone needs to be able to keep an eye on you."

Charlie tried her best to nod. She slowly got out of bed, with Rebecca's fault.

"Okay, let's get you dressed." Rebecca said.

"Rebecca, I can't." Charlie said laying back down on the bed.

"I tried to call off, I did. But, I have to give a presentation at a meeting today. We have to put you somewhere."

Max walked into the room, holding back tears from the amount of pain that Charlie was in. "Well, isn't Lindsay at school? Won't she realize that Charlie isn't with Victor? I don't have class today, but I need to spend the day in the library, there's couches there. She can go with me and sleep there."

"Okay." Rebecca said.

Charlie laid near Max while she worked on her paper.

"Max?" Charlie asked.

"We're in a library, just whisper. Whatcha need?"

"Be honest with me?"

Max turned from her computer, "Of course. What's up?"

"Am I going to die?" She said wincing.

Max thought for a moment. "I wasn't given that impression at the hospital. Why?"

"I hurt."

"I know."

"I want to go home."

"I won't be here much longer. Just lay as still as you can."

"What he and Whyatt find me?"

"We won't let that happen. Okay?"

Charlie nodded.


	21. Chapter 21

A few hours later, Charlie was back laying on the couch. She sat up enough to eat dinner.

Rebecca arrived a few moments after Charlie and Max did. She sat next to Charlie, who was having trouble swallowing her soup.

"Still hurt?"

"Yeah."

Rebecca nodded, and walked off towards Casey in the kitchen.

"What are we going to do with her?" Rebecca asked.

Casey shrugged. "Maybe she should go to another house?"

Rebecca thought for a moment. "I really think she needs to be with one of us. At least we can keep her safe."

"Maybe. I was just thinking if we got her in another foster home, Lindsay and Victor might not be able to find her."

"Do you not remember her anxiety of coming here?"

"I do. By the way, how does the stuff with Lindsay go?"

"Greg Waters is her uncle, I'm stuck."

"Go above him."

"I'm trying. It'll work out. One way or another."

"I hope."

Charlie walked into the room. "Can I get some more soup?" She asked.

"Sure. How much did you hear?"

Charlie cocked her head. "Nothing?"

"Good." Casey said getting her the soup.

"Hey, Casey?"

"Yeah?" She said not turning from the stove.

"Do you think we could talk?"

"Sure."

"With me or without me?" Rebecca asked.

"Without, no offense."

"None taken. I need to run some errands anyway. I'll see you guys later." She said leaving the room.

"What's on your mind, kiddo?" Casey said returning from the stove.

"I didn't want more soup. I just wanted to get you alone."

"That's fine. What's up?"

"Why do you care about me? Or, Max? or Courtney? or Erica? or Christine? Or Alex?"

"I don't understand the question?"

"All of the foster homes I've been to…..no one has ever cared about me. They were just in it for the check. What makes you different?"

Casey sat down next to Charlie at the table. "I don't have answer. To be honest, I don't know. I guess since I never had my own kids, I felt I could raise kids who's parents weren't around."

"You don't have your own kids?"

"Nope. Just never met the right guy. Got tired of waiting."

Rebecca nodded. "Okay."

"You don't seem sure."

"It's okay. I was just wondering."

Casey nodded. "I've always wondered the same thing too."

"I don't understand?" Charlie asked.

"Why people don't see what Rebecca and I see."

"See what?"

"Come with me." She said standing up, and putting her hand out.

"Where are we going?"

"Just trust me."

Charlie took Casey's hand, and began walking into Charlie's bedroom.

Courtney was sitting on her bed, with a boy Charlie didn't recognize on the end.

"Courtney, I don't remember telling you anyone could come over."

"You were busy, Max said it was okay."

Casey peered out of the door. "Max!" She called.

"I said it was fine, as long as the door was open!" Max called back.

"Okay. Can the two of you go chat in the living room. I need to talk to Charlie."

"Can't you talk to her in the living room? Courtney asked.

"Are you two doing anything wrong?"

"Of course not."

"Then, why does it matter?"

"Come on Matt." Courtney said ushering him out of the room.

Charlie waited on Casey, Casey slowly shut the door.

"Who's Matt?" Charlie asked.

"Just Courtney's friend. You don't know him?"

"Nope."

"Okay." Casey said ushering Charlie to the full length mirror on the closet door. Casey was a few inches taller than Charlie, she knelt down beside her.

"What do you see?"

"I don't understand the question."

"Look in the mirror, tell me what you see."

"It doesn't matter." She said turning from the mirror.

"Sure it does. What do you see?"

Charlie looked at her reflection for a moment. "Brokenness, abandonment, a whore." She said with tears down her cheek.

Casey embraced Charlie and held her for a moment, as Charlie cried into her shirt.

"Do you know what Rebecca and I see?"

Charlie lifted her head, eyes red and puffy, tears still falling. "Brokenness, abandonment, a whore?" She said burying her head again.

"No. Not at all." She said running her fingers through Charlie's hair. "All we see is a beautiful young woman."

Charlie broke out of Casey's embrace. "Yeah, that's why Victor, Whyatt, and everyone else treated me like they did. Because I'm beautiful." She said rolling her eyes, wiping her eyes.

"Hey, you are beautiful. It's their loss for not seeing it."

"Maybe I should have said 'no'."

Max walked into the room. "Hey mom, we need to talk. Like, now."

"In a minute. Why don't you field this one?"

"What's up?" Max asked.

"Maybe, Charlie should have just said 'no'."

"Meet me in the living room?"

Casey hugged Charlie and left the room.

"Tell me something?"

Charlie nodded, beginning to cry again.

"What happened if you said 'no'?"

"I got beat."

"What happened if you obeyed?"

"I didn't get beat."

"Exactly. You were trying to survive."

"I guess. Did you get beat too?"

"All the time. Even if I did obey."

"Sorry."

Max nodded. "Sorry about you."

Charlie nodded. "I'm okay, if you want to talk to Casey. What's it about?"

"I don't want to tell you anything, in case I'm wrong. But, if I'm right, you'll be the first person I come to, okay?"

Charlie nodded, as Max left the room. Charlie looked in the mirror, and forced a smile.


	22. Chapter 22

Casey stepped out of the bedroom to find Max, sitting with Courtney and Matt, and another man that Casey did not recognize.

"Max, what's up?"

"Courtney, Matt. Scoot."

"I wanna hear the juice!"

"Then go talk to the o.j!" Max said angrily.

Courtney sighed. "Can I have my room back?"

"Sure. Just be mindful of Charlie."

Courtney nodded, and walked upstairs with Matt.

Max looked at Casey and then looked at the stranger.

"It's better coming from you." He said.

"I know. I don't know how to approach this."

"Just like we rehearsed."

"Are you pregnant?" Casey asked blatantly.

"I just met Lance a few hours ago!" Max said.

"Are you pregnant?" Casey asked again.

"No." Max replied. "But, I think you need to get Rebecca over here. I don't want to have to repeat this."

About fifteen minutes later, Rebecca arrived, with a baby on her hip. "Sorry, I was caught babysitting for my sister. Is everything okay?" She said putting the diaper bag down, and the baby on it's back on the floor with a few toys to play with.

They four adults sat quietly.

Upstairs, Matt and Courtney were sitting on her bed and Charlie laid on her bed, quietly.

"Charlie, who was that man downstairs?" Courtney asked.

Charlie rolled over in her bed, with her back facing Courtney. "Nobody important."

"Someone tell me what's going on!" Casey yelled, startling the infant.

"Now, please." Rebecca said tending to her.

"You said there was only one woman in charge of Charlie?" Lance asked.

"Casey is her guardian, yes. Rebecca is her social worker."

Lance nodded.

"I'm getting pissed." Casey said.

"So am I." Rebecca said.

Max sighed. "Want some coffee?"

"No." Casey and Rebecca both said simultaneously.

"Max, just tell them. At least I'll know where I stand, and it's okay if they say no."

"Do you want to marry her?" Casey asked.

"Mom, I've only known him for a few hours!"

"I knew my ex-husband for two hours before we married. Albeit, that's probably why we divorced six months later, but answer my question."

"No ma'am. I have no intentions of marrying your daughter." Lance replied.

"What do you want?"

"I'd like to take my sister home with me."

Rebecca and Casey looked at Lance dumbfounded.

Max finally spoke up. "It's Charlie." Lance nodded.

"I thought her siblings were younger than her?" Rebecca said.

"The ones she remembers, yes." Lance said. "I was sixteen when Dad killed Mom. I moved in with my girlfriend right after that."

"Are you still with her?"

"Not that girlfriend, no. But I do have a wife."

"Where is she?"

"Home."

"Where is home?"

"On Addams, just a few miles away."

"Max, how do you know him?" Casey finally spoke up.

"He found me."

"Why did you find Max, if your sister is Charlie?"

"I had a person at DCFS help me, they found Max's name, and Charlie was listed in the same house. The worker said Max was the oldest, I thought it safest to go to her first, I wasn't sure you would believe me."

"I don't." Casey said.

"Neither do I." Rebecca said. "How do we know you aren't taking her back to Victor?"

Lance looked dumbfounded. "Sorry?"

Rebecca mulled him over in his mind for a moment, as did Casey.

"You were sixteen?" Rebecca finally asked. "Makes you seven years older than Charlie?"

"Yes."

"How old are you now?"

"Twenty four."

"What took you so long? She went into prostitution at eleven. She's seventeen now."

"I've had some trouble with drugs and everything in the past. Ways to cope. Ya know. I've been clean for a year, my mission has been to reunite the family I should have never left."

"You're willing to take on an incredibly damaged seventeen year old girl, along with three, probably just as damaged three siblings?"

"Actually. The three siblings stayed together. They lived in a very upscale Manhattan home. I don't know why Charlie was the only one separated."

"Lance, Max, will you two let us talk?" Rebecca asked them.

Lance and Max silently left the room.

"What do you think?" Casey asked.

"I think, with my job, I need to do some background on him."

"I was thinking the same thing." Casey replied. "If he is her brother, he seems fit."

Max walked back into the room, with a piece of paper. "Sorry, I forgot to give you this. He already had his DNA tested, to save time."

"He is." Casey said sighing looking at the paper.

"What do you think?" Rebecca asked.

"What's our options here?"

"I think, because he's legal, and no parents are around, he has, if he wants it, and he obviously does, parental rights. Foster care, is by definition temporary."

"Doesn't make it any easier."

"I know. It's weird."

"Hm?"

"That Charlie would be the only one separated from the siblings."

"That might be the way to get Lindsay, finally."

"Maybe. I'd have to find a way."

"Why don't we let the two meet, and then see if he still wants her?" Casey asked.

"Max, Lance, come in here." Rebecca called.

"What's the verdict?" Max asked.

"Go get Charlie."

Max nodded and went into the bedroom, to find the door closed. Swiftly opened it, to find; Courtney completely naked, covered in slashes, most likely from the belt in Matt's hands.

She sighed. "Matt, go home. Now. Courtney, put some fucking clothes on. I'll deal with you in a minute. Charlie?"

"Hm?"

"Can you walk?"

"Yeah."

"Can you walk downstairs with me?"

"Why?"

"I need you to meet someone."

"Who?"

"Just come on."

Charlie slowly got out of bed and walked downstairs. She saw Lance, and immediately burst into tears.

"Charlie, what's wrong?" Casey asked.

"Get this bastard out of my sight!"

"Charlie. Listen." Lance said.

"No, you listen. I became a fucking slave after Mom died, you had the option of leaving, you could have taken the four of with you!"

"And feed you how?"

"Becoming a prostitute to keep your family together." She said coldly.

"I want to keep us together now." He said.

"Too. Fucking. Late." Charlie said leaving the room.

I'll field this one." Rebecca said chasing after her.

"I need to yell at Courtney." Max said getting up.

"What'd she do?" Casey asked.

"Do you _really_ want to know?"

"Can you handle it?"

"Yes."

"Is she pregnant?"

"Not that I know of."

"Is it important that I know?"

"Not right now."

"No, I don't need to know."

Max walked off towards Courtney's bedroom.

Rebecca found Charlie on the back porch.

"Hey, you need to be laying down." She said softly.

"Fuck you." She said.

"Watch your mouth. I know you're angry. But, Do. Not. Use that language at me!"

"Fuck off." Charlie said.

Before she knew what was happening, Rebecca had slapped Charlie across the cheek. Charlie sat silently for a moment, processing what happened.

"Charlie-" Rebecca said.

"Save it, bitch." She said.

"Charlie, listen to me."

"No, you fucking listen to me!"

"Okay." Rebecca said quietly.

"You're so fucking eager to get rid of me! You find my brother, without my permission, and assume I'm going to want to pick up and live with him! What if I don't want to live with him! What if I haven't forgiven him for leaving! What if I haven't referred to him as my brother since the day he left! What if I like it here!"

"Charlie, I don't want to get rid of you, and I'm sure Casey feels the same. In fact, she's told me. Lance found us. I didn't know him until twenty minutes ago."

"Whatever. You still hit me."

"I'm sorry."

"Whatever."

Max sat on Charlie's bed, silently, and Courtney faced her. After about five minutes of silence, Max spoke up.

"What the hell was that?"

"Just some roleplaying."

"Hm, looked more like he was beating the tar out of you."

"That's the game. I was his slave, and I misbehaved."

"Do you think Charlie thinks it's a game?"

"Of course not. But he wasn't hitting her."

"He was, just not physically."

"Whatever. Are we done?"

"No. There's still the matter of you disobeying me."

"You're not my mom."

"Are we really going to have this argument _again?_" Max asked sighing. "Fine, what kind of example are you setting for your daughter?"

"I don't have a daughter. Casey does."

"Casey may have most of the responsibility that comes with being a parent. But, you gave birth to her. What if she had walked in here instead of me?"

"I would send her to Guinness World Records for walking at seven months."

"Don't be a smart-ass."

"What's a little pain?"

"Why don't you ask Charlie?"

"I liked it. Even more than I liked the sex before it." She said dryly.

Max sat quietly. "Fine, but you're grounded, and I'm moving your bed into my room, so I can keep an eye on you."

"No you're not. Only Casey can do that."

"Casey told me to handle the situation. I'm handling it. Tomorrow, you sleep in my room."

Courtney rolled her eyes, and left the room. She bumped into Casey, who was standing at the door.

"I heard everything. You either move your bed into her room, or mine. Pick."

"Max's."

Casey nodded and walked off. Courtney tried to follow, but Max grabbed her by her shirt. "We're not done. You're still being punished."

"Isn't moving my room enough?"

"Not for that. No."

"I don't think it was a big deal, if I don't care, why should you?"

Max knelt down. "I care because you don't."

"That makes no sense."

"It will one day."

"I doubt it."

"Grounded. Three weeks. You only leave my room to go to school and to eat. Got it?"

"What about peeing?"

"You know I have my own bathroom."

"Damn."

"Four weeks, stop the cussing."

"Fine. Is Charlie going to leave?"

Max shrugged. "I don't know."

"I don't want her to."

"Me either."

Lance sat on the couch with Rebecca, who had returned with Charlie.

"Charlie, can I explain?" Lance asked.

"Sure." Charlie said rolling her eyes.

"I'm sorry for leaving you four alone."

"Sorry doesn't make up for the fact I've been having sex since I was eleven years old."

"I know."

"Sorry doesn't make up for that fact that I was pregnant at sixteen, and then got the shit beaten out of me by my old master, and lost to much blood, so I lost my baby."

"I know."

"Just, get out."

"I'll fight this." He said.

"I'll fight back."

"If she doesn't want to live with you, she doesn't have to." Rebecca said. "I know the laws, the laws are my job."

"I heard you talking, I have parental rights."

"She's old enough to consent. If she was five, she wouldn't have a choice. She's seventeen, she doesn't want to go. She doesn't go."

Lance nodded. "Okay." He said leaving the house.

Charlie sighed and tried to walk away, Rebecca quickly grabbed her by the shirt.

"Wanna talk about what happened?"

"Not really. Lance is a douche."

"I think he has a valid point."

"So do I."

"Yes."

"Did he find my other siblings?"

"I think so. From what I took from our conversation."

"Are they as fucked up as me?"

"I'm not going to lie. No, they lived in Manhattan."

"Of course they did." Charlie said sarcastically. "I'm the only one who gets messed up."

"I'm working on why you were the only one separated. Okay?"

Charlie nodded and began to cry. Rebecca embraced her. The two stood silently, except for Charlie's sobs.

The next day, Rebecca slowly walked to Lindsay's office. She knocked on the door, Lindsay opened it with a crying student in the chair.

Lindsay rolled her eyes when she saw it was Rebecca. "Just wait, I'm almost done here."

Rebecca nodded.

About fifteen minutes later, Lindsay emerged from her office, the student, who Rebecca recognized as the one having HIV, left the office, in tears once again.

"Why isn't Charlie with Victor?" Lindsay asked.

"She Isn't?"

"Don't play dumb. Why haven't you found her?"

"Didn't know she was missing."

"Cut the crap."

"If I had known, I would have told you. I may not like the situation, or you, but I like my job."

"Whatever. What do you need?"

"I want to know why you separated only Charlie?"

"I didn't know Charlie until I accidentally put her with Victor."

"Accidentally, sure."

"Look, I know you don't like me, that's fine, I don't like you, to be frank. But when I put her with Victor, I was doing my job, and I intend to put her back with Victor."

"What kind of job allows you to put innocent girls in that kind of situation?"

"The job where Victor is my husband, and he wanted a bitch."

"Victor, is your-?"

"Husband, yes."

Rebecca ran off, towards the principal's office.

"Michael, I need to talk to you."

"About?"

"Charlie."

Michael sighed. "Everyone is sick of hearing about her. But, what about her?"

"Lindsay knew she was putting Charlie in the house with Victor, she told me herself, 'Victor is my husband, and he wanted a bitch'."

"Can you prove they're married?"

"I'm sure I could find some sort of document at the courthouse."

"Go."

Rebecca arrived at the courthouse.

"Do you have documentation on the marriage of Lindsay and Victor Jayne?"

"Probably. Why?" The secretary asked.

"I'm a social worker, I need it for a case."

"What kind of case requires documentation?"

"This one."

The secretary sighed and went into a back room, and returned with a few documents. "Here's everything I have. You can't leave with them, but there's a copier there in the corner if you need it."

"Thanks." Rebecca said heading to the copier.

About an hour later, after Rebecca and sifted through documents, she returned to school. Michael was waiting with cops, in his office.

"What's this about?" Rebecca asked.

"Charlie. Did you get the documents?"

"I have copies."

"Good enough. Let me see." Michael said taking the documents. He handed them to the cop who looked them over.

"God, how did we not catch this?"

"Nobody cared enough to catch it." Rebecca coldly.

"Okay, cops. Do your job." Michael said ushering them into Lindsay's office.

Rebecca stayed in the office, Michael returned a few minutes later, after he was sure that Lindsay was arrested for trafficking.

"What?" He asked.

"What about Charlie?"

"What about her?"

"Foster care is by definition, temporary. What are we doing with her?"

"Isn't that your job to figure out?"

"Yes, but I would like a second opinion."

"Where is she now?"

"With Casey."

"She's good. She cares."

"Yes."

"What are you getting at?" He said motioning for her to sit down.

"Charlie needs stability. Because of the other kids, as much as I love them. She can't get stability with Casey."

"Why not?"

"Charlie is terrified that Casey will get tired of her and kick her out."

"But I know Casey, that isn't true."

"Yes, but she doesn't know that, and until Charlie feels safe, her emotional issues and everything else, aren't going to get any better."

"So, what do you suggest?"

"Let me take her. I don't have any kids, or a husband. I think she feels safe with me."

"You can't."

"Isn't there an exception to every rule?"

"Yes. But I don't think you're it. There is a fit parent willing to take care of her."

"I love Casey. Don't get me wrong, but when did we stop fighting for the kids?"

"Touche. Hold on." Michael stepped out of the office, he motioned for a woman, who Rebecca recognized as the Assistant District Attorney.

"ADA McHale, hello ma'am." Rebecca said.

She nodded. "I'm in the middle of some damage control. Michael, what do you need?"

"Rebecca is a social worker."

"Okay?"

"She wants to take Charlie."

"Kline?"

"Yes ma'am."

"Isn't she in foster care?"

"Yes, but there are five other girls in that house. Charlie feels like Casey is going to get tired of her and kick her out, until she feels safe, her problems are only going to get worse."

ADA McHale nodded. "Do you live alone?"

"Right now."

"Look, I'm against it. But I think you have a point. If Charlie AND Casey agree, I'll sign the necessary papers. But, that still leaves the issue of the brother that came to my office, today."

"Yeah, I've met him."

"I think he's prepared to fight to get her back."

"I know he is."

"She won't win."

"But, if I adopt her before he makes it to court…"

"It's a small loophole, but if you move fast, it might not close on you."

"Doesn't he need to waive his rights?" Michael asked.

"No, because she's a ward of the state." ADA McHale said. "Go talk to her, and Casey. I'll get the paperwork ready."

Rebecca sat on the couch with Charlie and Casey.

"I could live with you?" Charlie asked.

"Yes. I finally got Lindsay arrested, and the ADA decided that if you and Casey both agreed, I could adopt you."

"How'd you swing getting Lindsay arrested?" Casey asked.

"I'll tell you later."

"That good, huh?" She said with a smile.

"Charlie, we have a small window to make this work in our favor. What do you think?"

"I love it here. I do, but yes. I want to live with you."

Rebecca nodded. "We can still visit, anytime you want, assuming it's okay with Casey."

"It better be okay with Casey." Max said peering from behind the kitchen wall.

"It's fine." Casey said wiping a tear.

"Are you mad?"

"No. Foster care is by definition, temporary."

Charlie nodded.

"Charlie, let's go pack your things."

"This is going to sound mean, but it isn't. I never unpacked. I wasn't sure how long I would be here."

"After what you've been though. It's okay." Casey said.

Charlie hugged everyone in the house, and then slowly left Casey's house with her one box of items she brought with her, while Rebecca carried things that Casey had bought for her.

A few minutes later, they arrived at Rebecca's house. It wasn't as big as Casey's house. But it didn't need to be.

"Come on. I'll show you your room." Rebecca said, leading her down a narrow hallway.

Charlie put the box down, and hugged Rebecca around the middle, Rebecca hugged her back, the two people stood there for a moment, and it was in that moment that they both realized they had what they had always wanted, a family.


End file.
